Exchange of enclaves from midnight of July 31

[Hindustani78]

India-Bangladesh enclaves agreement a model for world: Sheikh Hasina | Zee News

New York: Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina held up the India-Bangladesh agreement on enclaves as an example for the world in solving problems.

Speaking on Wednesday at the United Nations General Assembly, Hasina said the implementation of the boundary agreement "brought to a peaceful end the lingering humanitarian situation" of 50,000 stateless residents in 162 enclaves.

"By doing so jointly with India, we have a unique precedent for the world," she said.

Hasina listed terrorism along with climate changes as the twin greatest threats to the sustainability of human civilisation. She recalled her personal experiences saying that she had been the target of 19 terror attacks and her father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and her mother had been killed by extremists.

"My government, therefore, maintains a 'zero tolerance' policy to all forms of terrorism, violent extremism and radicalisation," she said.

"We are steadfast in tackling the extremists and the anti-liberation forces who remain active in destroying the democratic, progressive and secular ethos of our nation."

Hasina also reiterated her determination to punish war criminals - an issue to which some Western nations have been lukewarm. In the spirit of upholding peace and the rule of law and ending the culture of impunity, Hasina said, "We are pursuing the culprits of war crimes, crimes against humanity, rape and genocide committed during our 1971 Liberation War."



IANS

 

[Hindustani78]

Citizenship given to 14,864 people who opt to stay in India: Home Ministry | Deccan Chronicle

New Delhi: The Union Home Ministry has approved citizenship to 14,864 people who chose to stay in India following exchange of adversely-held enclaves with Bangladesh under the landmark land boundary agrement. The decision to grant the citizenship was taken recently, said a senior Home Minister official on Tuesday.

India and Bangladesh exchanged 162 adversely-held enclaves at the stroke midnight of July 31-Aug 1 this year, just over a month after the signing of an enabling document between the two countries during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Dhaka in June this year to implement the historic land boundary agreement passed by Indian parliament.

The exchange of enclaves ended one of the world's most complex border disputes that had lingered for seven decades as a result of the legacy British colonial rule. 111 Indian enclaves measuring 17,160 acres became part of Bangladesh territory while 51 Bangladesh enclaves measuring 7,110 acres became Indian territory.

According to an estimate, around 37,000 people were living in Indian enclaves in Bangladesh while 14,000 people were staying in Bangladeshi enclaves in India.

The grant of citizenship by the Union Home Ministry to the 14, 864 people brought to an end their nightmare of being stateless citizens without access to civic services, education, health-care and other facilities provided by the two governments to their respective nationals.

A survey was jointly carried out by the two countries to ascertain the citizenship choice of the residents of the enclaves from July 6-16 this year.

Indian and Bangladshi authorities are working together to facilitate trouble-free movement of the residents as per their citizenship options before the stipulated date of November 30, 2015.

Between July 31, 2015 and June 30, 2016, the entire process, including physical exchange of enclaves and land parcels in adverse possession along with boundary demarcation, is expected to be completed.

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.thehindu.com/news/intern...te-in-local-body-elections/article9288737.ece

Updated: November 1, 2016 01:39 IST

Residents of some 100 former Indian enclaves voted for the first time as citizens of Bangladesh on Monday, They cast their ballot in local body polls.

Elections to 380 local bodies across the country were held. About 14,000 new voters signed up to vote in the 100 former enclaves, which are situated in the northern districts of Panchagarh, Lalmonirhat and Kurigram, said the Election Commission Secretariat.

Under an agreement signed in 1974, India gave up 111 enclaves — measuring 17,160 acres — to Bangladesh and received 51 enclaves spread over 7,110 acres, thus ending decades of suffering and isolation of people living in these areas.

Landmark pact
The enclaves were merged with mainland Bangladesh on July 31, 2015, following the landmark ratification of the land boundary agreement by the Indian Parliament. Some 35,535 people were granted Bangladeshi citizenship as part of the deal.

 

[Hindustani78]

http://zeenews.india.com/india/fore...kar-in-dhaka-meets-sheikh-hasina_1980662.html

Dhaka/New Delhi: Indian Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar on Thursday called on Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and discussed preparatory aspects of her proposed visit to India this year.

Jaishankar, who arrived here from Beijing, is on a two-day visit to Bangladesh from February 23-24 on the invitation of his Bangladeshi counterpart Md. Shahidul Haque.

Besides discussing her New Delhi visit, likely to take place in April, Jaishankar briefed Sheikh Hasina on recent developments in India-Bangladesh relations and the region, said a statement from the Ministry of External Affairs.

The two Foreign Secretaries reviewed the areas of bilateral cooperation and noted with appreciation that there has been excellent implementation of decisions taken during the visit of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Bangladesh in June 2015.

Both sides also took stock of decisions taken during the recent meetings of various bilateral mechanisms in the areas of Security & Border Management, Trade and Commerce, Power, Energy, Shipping, Railways etc.

Both Foreign Secretaries also shared their perspectives on regional and international issues of mutual interest, the statement said.

He is also likely to meet Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali before wrapping up his visit. He leaves Dhaka on Friday morning.


First Published: Friday, February 24, 2017 - 00:32

 

[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Home Affairs
15-March, 2017 15:05 IST
India Bangladesh Land Boundary Agreement (LBA)

Indo-Bangladesh Land Boundary Agreement (LBA), 1974 provides for exchange of enclaves between the two countries and it necessitated development and integration of Bangladeshi enclaves in India and addressing issues of rehabilitation of returnees from Indian enclaves in Bangladesh. Government of India sanctioned Rs. 1005.99 crore on 02.12.2015 for rehabilitation and up-gradation of infrastructure, out of which Rs. 898.50 crore is for creation and up-gradation of infrastructure and an amount of Rs. 107.49 crore is for rehabilitation and construction of pucca houses for Indian returnees. The package sanctioned to State Government of West Bengal by Government of India is for a period of five years from 2015-16 to 2019-2020. The scheme fully funded by Government of India is implemented by the State Government of West Bengal. Government of India has sanctioned barbed wire fencing to the extent of 3326.14 km along the Indo-Bangladesh border. Out of this, fencing to the extent of 2731 km has been completed.

This was stated by the Minister of State for Home Affairs, Shri Hansraj Gangaram Ahir in written reply to a question by Shri Vivek Gupta in the Rajya Sabha today.



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[Hindustani78]

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/consensus-on-teesta-needed/article19486782.ece

Indicating that India has not been able to reach a consensus on the sharing of Teesta river water, Indian High Commissioner in Bangladesh Harsh Vardhan Shringla said the country needs to discuss the issue more extensively.

“Teesta is an outstanding issue. We have made it clear that it requires more consultation within our own country,” said Mr. Shringla, on the sidelines of a recent event in the city organised by the Indian Chamber of Commerce.

He referred to the India-Bangladesh Land Boundary Agreement and said that it required many rounds of talks to resolve.

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[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Home Affairs
13-March, 2018 18:05 IST
Rehabilitation of New Citizens

A scheme namely “Rehabilitation Package and up-gradation of infrastructure of the Bangladeshi Enclaves and Cooch Behar District after transfer of enclaves between India and Bangladesh” has been approved by Government at a cost of Rs. 1005.99 crore for a period of five years commencing from 2015-16. Out of this amount, Rs. 423 crore has been released to State Government of West Bengal upto 28.02.2018. The Government of West Bengal has submitted utilization certificate for Rs. 260 crore. The scheme has provision for creation of infrastructure in Cooch Behar District of West Bengal and former Bangladeshi enclaves in India and also for providing temporary and permanent rehabilitation of returnees from the former Indian enclaves in Bangladesh.

922 persons comprising 201 families have returned from former Indian enclaves in Bangladesh.

This was stated by the Minister of State for Home Affairs, Shri Hansraj Gangaram Ahir in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha today.



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