Decades old enclave issue to end on July 31

The existence of 162 enclaves inside India and Bangladesh will cease to exist at midnight on July 31. As per the recent bilateral pact on exchange of land, 111 Indian enclaves will become part of Bangladesh and 51 Bangladeshi enclaves will be integrated into India. The exchange of land will finally end the issue of Bangladeshi and Indian enclaves in each other’s territories that has been pending for the last 68 years.
The land exchange will also give national identities to the inhabitants of the 162 enclaves after almost seven decades. From August 1, they will get citizenship of either of the two countries as per their choice.
As many as 979 persons residing in 111 enclaves inside Bangladesh have expressed their desire to become Indian citizens. These people will be repatriated to India via Chilahati-Haldibari border in Panchagor, Changarabandha-Burimari border in Lalmonirhat and Shahevgonj-Sewtikusha border in Kurugram districts from August till November. Among the 979 persons going to India, 166 are Muslims and the rest are Hindus.
However, no person from the 51 Bangladeshi enclaves in India has evinced interest to come to Bangladesh. Most of them are from Dhasiarsora in Kurigram, Khagrabari in Panchagor, Bashkata and Gotamari in Lalmonirhat districts.
The local district administrations will arrange for the repatriation, sources said, adding that senior officials from both countries will attend a joint meeting in Dhaka on July 24 to monitor the process.
The sources informed that Habibur Rahaman, deputy commissioner of Lalmonirhat, had submitted the census report of the 111 Indian enclaves inside Bangladesh to the divisional commissioner Rangpur on Tuesdaymorning. According to the report, the total population in the 111 enclaves is 41,449. The census was conducted in the 162 enclaves by an Indo-Bangla joint survey team from July 6 to July 16.
An earlier census in 2011 had put the population in the 111 Indian enclaves at 37,364. This figure has jumped to 41,449 in the latest headcount. Officials said the population has increased by 3718 people in the last four years due to births and marriages. Meanwhile, 433 persons have died.
Disclosing the latest census report, divisional commissioner of Rangpur Delwar Bokth, said the government will do everything for the security and betterment of the enclave dwellers. Education, communication and health care services will be ensured in every enclave. Schools, colleges, health centres and culverts will be set up for the enclave people, he added.
Sources in the Bharat-Bangla Enclave Exchange Coordination Committee (BBEECC) said another group named United Council was active against enclave exchange and wanted corridors to communicate with the main land. Most of them have now expressed their desire to go to India, the sources added.
Diptiman Sengupta, a BBEECC leader on the Indian side, told The Independent over phone that they will celebrate the victory at Moddho Moshaldanga in Dinhata on the night of July 31 and enclave dwellers will take part in the celebrations.

Decades old enclave issue to end on July 31

The existence of 162 enclaves inside India and Bangladesh will cease to exist at midnight on July 31. As per the recent bilateral pact on exchange of land, 111 Indian enclaves will become part of Bangladesh and 51 Bangladeshi enclaves will be integrated into India. The exchange of land will finally end the issue of Bangladeshi and Indian enclaves in each others territories that has been pending for the last 68 years. The land exchange will also give national identities to the inhabitants of the 162 enclaves after almost seven decades. From August 1, they will get citizenship of either of the two countries as per their choice. As many as 979 persons residing in 111 enclaves inside Bangladesh have expressed their desire to become Indian citizens. These people will be repatriated to India via Chilahati-Haldibari border in Panchagor, Changarabandha-Burimari border in Lalmonirhat and Shahevgonj-Sewtikusha border in Kurugram districts from August till November. Among the 979 persons going to India, 166 are Muslims and the rest are Hindus. However, no person from the 51 Bangladeshi enclaves in India has evinced interest to come to Bangladesh. Most of them are from Dhasiarsora in Kurigram, Khagrabari in Panchagor, Bashkata and Gotamari in Lalmonirhat districts. The local district administrations will arrange for the repatriation, sources said, adding that senior officials from both countries will attend a joint meeting in Dhaka on July 24 to monitor the process. The sources informed that Habibur Rahaman, deputy commissioner of Lalmonirhat, had submitted the census report of the 111 Indian enclaves inside Bangladesh to the divisional commissioner Rangpur on Tuesdaymorning. According to the report, the total population in the 111 enclaves is 41,449. The census was conducted in the 162 enclaves by an Indo-Bangla joint survey team from July 6 to July 16. An earlier census in 2011 had put the population in the 111 Indian enclaves at 37,364. This figure has jumped to 41,449 in the latest headcount. Officials said the population has increased by 3718 people in the last four years due to births and marriages. Meanwhile, 433 persons have died. Disclosing the latest census report, divisional commissioner of Rangpur Delwar Bokth, said the government will do everything for the security and betterment of the enclave dwellers. Education, communication and health care services will be ensured in every enclave. Schools, colleges, health centres and culverts will be set up for the enclave people, he added. Sources in the Bharat-Bangla Enclave Exchange Coordination Committee (BBEECC) said another group named United Council was active against enclave exchange and wanted corridors to communicate with the main land. Most of them have now expressed their desire to go to India, the sources added. Diptiman Sengupta, a BBEECC leader on the Indian side, told The Independent over phone that they will celebrate the victory at Moddho Moshaldanga in Dinhata on the night of July 31 and enclave dwellers will take part in the celebrations.