Raisyabari (Dhalai district), As the dawn breaks, the obscure Raisyabari market nestled in deep interior in between Dhalai and South Tripura districts bordering Bangladesh turns abuzz with tribal men and women thronging in with their wares- mainly fish and fresh vegetables.
Most of them had attended a cultural function organized by the Tripura State Rifles jawans on February 12 night near the market and sleep was still writ large on their face. Cultural programme of any sort, that too at night, was a rare most occasions in these areas considered worst affected by militancy and no body wanted to miss it.
As lights brought by the TSR jawans brightened Raisyabari school field, Sadhan Debnath, a jawan from Nabadwip in West Bengal, Suresh Das of Assam and Sudhir Majumdar of North Tripura filled the night air with Kokborok, Chakma (both tribal language) and Bengali songs one after another. Rifleman Bittu Singh Nawbag of Darjeeling stood up with his electric guitar and started singing English songs. That was only the beginning.
The clock stuck 9 pm and Partha Deb's high pitch Daleer Mehendi album echoed over the vast blue Dambur lake and the tribal folks in high spirit joined the camp incharge Prabir Choudhury who was dancing along with a Harianvi jawan Basudev Lal. Some off duty BSF jawans present in the function began an all out bhangra. Time and again the tribal youths shouted demands and most popular seemed Bhumi band's 'Tomar Dekha nai re Tomar dekha nai'.
Commanding officer of the 5th battalion Arindam Nath smiled: "It has been several years that the tribal villagers here have seen any a cultural event in Raishyabari. Once it was highly militants infested and people would not dare to come out in the open at night. Let alone participate in any cultural programme. But the situation has undergone a sea change, you can see for yourself", he said.
Indeed. Four years ago it would have been all darkness at night when time would stand still. The uncanny suggestion of bloodthirsty militants' prowl everywhere was too poignant to ignore. This was the place where once militants pulled off several attacks, bloodiest being the ambush on BSF killing 18 persons including jawans and civilians some years ago.
But now situation indicates gradually improvement- despite two recent incidents -an ambush on BSF party and kidnapping of four fishermen from the lake.
"In 1997-98 militants with their AKs slung over shoulders moved openly in Raishyabari and extort money from every body. It is Khagracherri hill district of Bangladesh across the border where they have their bases. The border is only metres away and the militants even used to go out in the Dambur Lake with boat and kidnap fishermen", said Bimal Saha, a trader.
"There are at present 42 Bengali families and all of them settled in the market with the front part of their house being converted into shop. Some nontribal families had left Raishyabari due to militants' threat but now we are safe here, though still we do not go far. There are police, TSR and BSF are all around and a sense of safety indeed prevails here", he observed.
BSF jawans were seen moving around in the market while TSR personnel are purchasing their vegetables from the tribal women.
It was a close-knit society of tribals -mostly Chakmas and Jamatias- and Bengalis in this virtually alienated place. Hours long arduous drive over boulders and knee thick dust on what appeared to have once been a 'road' that criss-crossed hilly terrain always kept this land out of bound for civilians. Added to lack of communication and militancy malaria added more woes to the security forces deployed here.
"Last September Chief Minister Manik Sarkar visited Raishyabari and after his visit we have got electric power. Works on roads are also in progress. Hopefully, when the roads will be completed and a regular communication with other parts of the state would be established the situation would improve further", said Anju Chakma. His wife Pranabati selling 'Icha shutki' ( dried shrimp) adds with a smile: Raishyabari is not that bad as you saharer lok ( city dwellers) think. You can get your favourite fish of Dambur lake at half of the money you pay in your town markets, she pointed out.