AGARTALA, May 9 (TIWN): Tripura CPI-M MP Jitendra Chowdhury has revealed a shocking data which claims at least 400 to 500 Tripura men especially from ADC area as Chamanu's West Gobinda Bari and East Govinda Bari are bound to live in Bangladesh to earn livelihood. Jiten Choudhury said, “They collect various seeds from Bangladesh and sell in India at very low rate, which are further sold by the businessmen at high prices. Such seeds include sulfur trees, teak etc”. In the reason behind such escaping to Bangladesh, the MP said is poverty and lack of works since 2 months amid no MGNREGA works. The MP further confirmed, this practice has been developed in the last two months. “Earlier it was seen that people from Bangladesh are coming in Tripura to earn money, but people going on that part of the border by taking risks are beyond imagination", Jiten Chowdhury said.

 "Before the fencing many Bangladeshis used to come and work. In the evening they again returned to their country. But Tripura never saw such days when people here have to depend upon the neighboring country for livelihood”, he said.

On yesterday press conference regarding the MGNREGA works' long suspension, the MP said, “Why MGNREGA works have been stopped in Tripura ? In the last month I wrote a letter to the Chief Minister asking him to release the December and January month’s wages. However, Govt has cleared all pending wages accordingly, but after that no MGNREGA work was provided leading heavy crisis among the poor families. At villages the men are provided with Rs. 100 of wages, whereas women get Rs. 50. In this situation, how should they live and run families ?”

“Even Dhalai Dist which was awarded for excellent works, has been provided with only 42 days of MGNREGA works. In such situations, IPFT and BJP’s power clashes are leading more crisis situations across rural areas and hills”, the MP told media.