KOKRAJHAR: The United Forum of Ex-NDFB (UFENDFB) on Thursday observed the 35th Martyr’s Day of B. Bangburgwra, the 1st martyr of the NDFB, with a day-long programme at Samohathai, Rupohi, in Baksa district. Paying homage to the 1st martyr of the NDFB, B. Bangburgwra, the CEM of BTC Pramod Boro said the NDFB started the arms movement for the rights of self-determination of the Bodos, in which over 5,000 Bodo people have become martyrs. He said B. Bangburgwra, the then C-in-C, was the first martyr of the NDFB. He said the NDFB was one of the stakeholders in the BTR Accord in 2020, and after that, the region had witnessed a peaceful atmosphere. As per clause 9.2 of the accord, the government of India will rehabilitate all the members of the NDFB who have returned to mainstream society and provide financial support to martyr families, he said, adding that the rehabilitation of former NDFB members and ex-gratia to martyr families are being done while cases are being withdrawn on a case-by-case basis. He hoped that all jailed leaders, including founder chairman Ranjan Daimary, would be released soon. He further stated that Mission Fin Rwdwmkhang was launched exclusively for the rehabilitation of former NDFB members.
Boro said the clauses of the BTR accord were being implemented one after another. And accordingly, the extension of the boundary to Gahpur is being initiated, and 41 villages have been notified in the first phase, he said, adding that the remaining villages would be notified in the days to come. Earlier, CEM Pramod Boro inaugurated the foundation stone of the construction of the Bodoland Movement Cemetery at an initial cost of Rs 30 crore at Samohathai, commemorating the 5,000 martyrs of the NDFB in a plot of 300 bighas of land.
Earlier, the president of the UFENDFB, Chila Basumatary, hoisted the organisational flag at half mast while Dr. Jagat Chandra Basumatary, principal of Salbari College, opened the martyr B. Orgeng main pandal. The open meeting was chaired by Dominic Islary, Assistant General Secretary of the United Forum of Ex-NDFB. The open meeting was attended by former Speaker of the NDFB Sunil Basumatary, ABSU General Secretary Phakindra Basumatary, and senior leaders of the erstwhile NDFB.
The vice president of the UFENDFB, Naisrang Wary, introduced the guests, while the welcome address was given by Dil Ranjan Narzary, general secretary of the UFENDFB. The elder brother of NDFB’s 1st martyr, B. Jabda, who was also a senior leader of the outfit, said he was happy to know of the initiative of UFENDFB and the government of BTC to construct a beautiful Boroland movement cemetery-cum- museum at Samohathai in Baksa district in memory of his brother martyr, B. Bangburgwra, and 5,000 martyrs. He said the rehabilitation of former members of the NDFB and grants in aid to martyr families were going on, and his family has received the same. He said the NDFB fought for a separate Boro nation for over 30 years but got BTR in 2020. He hoped that the government of India would try to fulfil the aspirations of the Bodo people through BTR in every respect.
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