Enclave exchange
27 reapply for Bangladeshi citizenship
Our correspondent, Panchagarh
A total of 27 inhabitants of the recently abolished enclaves, who previously opted for being citizens of India, now prefer to get citizenship rights of Bangladesh.
The matter came up at a joint hearing of officials of Bangladesh and India, held at the Dak Bungalow in Debiganj upazila yesterday.
The Deputy District Magistrate of Cooch Behar, Nur Alam, on behalf of India, Additional District Magistrate of Panchagarh, Mohammad Golam Azam, and Upazila Nirbahi Officer of Debiganj, Shafiqul Islam, were present at the hearing. Of the 27 inhabitants, 22 are from Debiganj upazila, four from Panchagrah Sadar and one from Boda upazila, Shafiqul Islam told The Independent.
Earlier 467 enclave dwellers opted for citizenship of India, but later 27 people changed their mind and applied to the Deputy Commissioner of Panchagrah to stay in Bangladesh. A hearing was held in this regard, he said.
If the next DC-DM meeting accepts the applications of these 27 inhabitants, they will be citizens of Bangladesh, he said. When asked about the date of the next meeting, he said that it would be held soon.
Besides, he said that five other inhabitants from Boda in Debiganj upazilas came to the hearing with a plea that they could not apply in time for change of citizenship. He said nothing can be done in this regard.
