Karimganj, My karimganj, Our karimganj

A piece of land inhabited by probably few most tolerant human beings on earth.

The land of many Rupok, Kunal, Sudarshan, Harich, Kamru, Bapan, Bilu, Rockey, Riya, Jayee, and many more. The land of many old and young; right and wrong – who live together (should I say ‘happily’) - all in spite of compounding threat from encroachment and infiltration.

The geographical nativity to Bangladesh is perhaps the most important reason for several intermittent issues. But, the same makes our land all so easy to be presented before others. You can always point it on the map of India. Literally always.

The extreme extent of proximity is too inviting to resist for people of this place. While some see the ‘foreign nation’ from the byes of Kushiara, ones fortunate can claim to have made a foreign trip at least once in their life time.

Other than Kushiara, River Longai and Shingla ornate the district that shares 92 kms of international border with the neighbouring country of Bangladesh.

Didn’t I say that many still doubt on our origin? I (like many others who belong to this place) still try to solve the misery of these poor souls' eagerness about our nationality by stating that many of ours’ forefathers just walked into the country. But of course, in a time when there was hardly any demarcation in between. Like Karimganj today, Sylhet, Jakiganj, Abhiganj, …. (all the adjacent districts of Bangladesh) were in India.

Perhaps to carry on the sentiment forward, in some stretches still today, there is complete absence of any geographical demarcation for the border that cuts across to open agricultural or grazing fields. Probably embellishing the free will of nature before which human beings, how so ever efficient in stretching demarcating lines, end up acute helpless. I know a few who enjoy the benefits and have eager participants from the 'foreign country' to play kabaddi with.

God forbid! Are we playing the same game on political grounds too? Some say, one day this birthplace of mine, and of many more like me, would cease to be called an Indian territory. I don't know. Probably our political leaders know.

Leave alone the geographical ‘speciality’ of this place. Its people still maintaining simple and lazy life form, are in fact 'special' by being so ‘normal’ and ‘natural’ in this era of 21st century. That too after being so ignored and unheard… for so long.

Praise lord (and perennially competing private sector companies)! Today, Karimganj has got ATMs (thanks to SBI and UBI. I hear ICICI also plans for one soon), and multiple mobile service providers.

Hopefully, before I cross 40th lap of my living, broadband internet service would also become a reality.

Let us we all live together in peace. I don’t expect more!!