MASUM seeks NHRC intervention for border village facing extreme restrictions
A human rights organization is urging the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to take immediate action to address the inhumane conditions faced by residents of East Sahebganj, a small village located on the Indo-Bangladesh border. Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (MASUM) has highlighted severe restrictions imposed by the Border Security Force (BSF) that have left the villagers in dire circumstances.
In a letter to the NHRC chairperson on Tuesday, MASUM described East Sahebganj as a community of seven families, totalling around 30 people, who have lived there for generations. The village is encircled by barbed wire fencing, effectively cutting off its residents from the rest of India. Despite being Indian citizens, the villagers face stringent limitations on their movement and access to essential services, including food, healthcare, and trade.
The village is under the jurisdiction of the BSF's Purba Sahebganj Border Outpost, with only one entry-exit point—Gate No. 6—open for limited hours. During these restricted periods, villagers are expected to complete all their activities, including buying food, selling crops, and accessing healthcare. Failure to return before the gate closes often results in villagers being stranded outside, sometimes forced to endure harsh conditions overnight.
MASUM also pointed out that the villagers' right to visit relatives in nearby towns is severely restricted, as they must seek permission from BSF officers—a process that often involves lengthy delays and humiliation.
According to MASUM, the villagers, despite being Indian citizens, have been subjected to conditions that amount to a violation of their basic rights. "These people are treated as stateless within their own country," the letter states. "When the border fencing was erected, they had no other land to relocate to, leaving them trapped in a space where they can neither sell their property nor find means of survival."
The situation has resulted in widespread economic hardship. Many villagers are forced to send family members out of state as migrant labourers to sustain their households. The organization is calling for the immediate acquisition of the villagers' immovable property by the government, along with proper compensation and rehabilitation.
MASUM's letter also emphasizes that the restrictions violate several constitutional and human rights, including the right to freedom of movement (Article 19), the right to livelihood (Article 21), the right to life and dignity (Article 21), the right to trade and occupation (Article 19), and the right against exploitation (Article 23).
The organization is urging the NHRC to intervene and restore justice to the residents of East Sahebganj, who, according to MASUM, are not criminals or threats to national security but ordinary citizens entitled to dignity and basic rights.
