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Only issue tista river....
India-Bangladesh land swap: Over 14,000 new Indian citizens
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This man is one of 50,000 trapped in a form of geographical limbo
Thousands of people in India and Bangladesh live in little islands of land - enclaves- which belong to one country but are located in other. Now the two governments will swap enclaves, finally giving these people access to the public services they have been denied. the BBC's Sanjoy Majumder spoke to residents awaiting the change.
"This is where we are, see - right here on this map."
Mohammad Mansoor Ali, his white beard glistening in the midday sun, jabs his finger at a frayed, yellowing parchment.
"This is Bangladesh - and that's India all around us."
Mr Ali, who is 74, lives in the Bangladeshi enclave of Poaturkuthi in the eastern Indian state of West Bengal. The map he's showing me is a land record dating back to 1931, the last time these lands were surveyed.
"We were part of British India then. I have our family's original title deed with the seal of George V, the Emperor and also one from East Pakistan and one from Bangladesh. But none from India."
Mr Ali is one of an estimated 50,000 residents of a geographical anomaly which has lasted more than two centuries.
They live in little islands of land - enclaves, which belong to one country but are located in the other, a result of a series of peace treaties drawn up by rival kingdoms in the eighteenth century.
But even as India and Pakistan, and eventually Bangladesh, gained their freedom, these enclaves stayed as they were, with their residents effectively marooned and stateless.
"They just forgot about us," says Zainal Abedin, who lives in another enclave, Moshaldanga.
"For years we were just a football, kicked around by India and Bangladesh," he says.
Now the two governments have agreed to swap their enclaves, effectively meaning that the Indian enclaves inside Bangladesh go to Bangladesh while the Bangladeshi ones on this side merge with India.
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Media captionMohammad Mansur Ali: "After becoming an Indian I will have a proper identity card - I want to travel and see my country"
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Media caption"Nobody will be able to neglect us", says Mohammed Mozammel Khondokar
"I have witnessed the independence of three countries - India, Pakistan and Bangladesh," says Mohammad Mansur Ali.
"But we were never independent ourselves. It's taken us 68 years to achieve our freedom."
Poaturkuthi is about seven to eight kilometres from the Indo-Bangladesh border but because it is completely surrounded by India, its residents cannot go the country that they are supposed to be citizens of.
Enclave residents cannot access public services
It also means that they have no access to public services of any kind, no electricity, water supply, schools or hospitals.
"At night we light candles and kerosene lamps in our homes," says Mr Ali.
To access anything else, they have to go out of the enclave which presents another problem.
"We have no identity papers of any kind," explains Alamgir Hossain.
It means that they live in constant fear of arrest since they have no legal documents. The only way out is to acquire one, fraudulently.
"We find an Indian, pay him to masquerade as our family member," says Alamgir. "That way we can get into school or use a hospital."
In Poaturkuthi's main square, a group of residents are seated under a tree engaged in an animated discussion.
District official Krishnabha Ghosh (right) has been trying to calm nerves in one of the enclaves awaiting transfer
They are talking about their impending merger with India, on Saturday - a result of the agreement signed between India and Bangladesh.
"It's like we have been living in a jungle all these years," says Zainal Abedin.
"Now that we've emerged, we'd like to get all the facilities that a civilized society expects."
As he finishes his sentence, there's a sudden flurry of activity as a car drives up, a red beacon fitted on its roof.
It is the local district official, Krishnabha Ghosh. The villagers draw up a chair for him and he joins them. A tray of tea appears magically.
He is here to inspect the arrangements for the transfer.
"There's going to be a celebration and the Indian flag is going to be raised," he says. "It's exciting for me too, to be witnessing a piece of history."
These children have a new national anthem to brush up on
But the villagers have more pressing matters to discuss.
"How soon will we get our voter identity cards," asks one. "What about a school? And when will get electricity," they press him.
Mr Ghosh asks them to draw up a list and promises to revisit them. Now they too will be part of his responsibility.
Inside the enclave's school - no more than a little tin shack - a group of schoolchildren practise singing the Indian national anthem.
It is a bit off key and they stumble through the phrases coaxed gently by a couple of teachers.
"My father's generation is gone, I will be gone too," remarks Mohammad Mansoor Ali, his eyes glistening.
"But at least they will be free," he adds pointing at the children.
"They will have all the rights of a citizen and be able to lead a life of dignity."
Bangladesh is getting 10,000 acres extra land and 23,000 additional citizen.
for giving up 17000 acres
Homo Sapiens
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Bangladesh giving up 7000 acres and receiving 17000 acres.
I dont think you read the article
While India will hand over 51 enclaves, comprising 7,110 acres to Bangladesh, the neighbouring country will give India 111 enclaves comprising around 17,160 acres.
Bangladesh is loosing 10,000 acres
BelligerentPacifist
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May I ask how these people obtained their visas for traveling abroad?
PARAS
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The f*cking maharaja of rangpur should have won more games against cooch behar
Error in reporting.its actually the other way around
bongbang
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They used fake information of neighboring areas. On BD side they were open to all kinds of facilities. Only no development in those respective enclaves.
Thorough Pro
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any map of the swapped areas and new maps of the two countries?
Bangladesh is getting 10,000 acres extra land and 23,000 additional citizen.
Umair Nawaz
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Just 7,110 acres to Bangladesh and 17,160 acres to India!
LOL what a bargain.
LOL what a bargain.
Homo Sapiens
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Pimples on the both sides are the enclaves.Current map will be without those pimples.
It's the other way round mate
Homo Sapiens
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Shithead people of Indian media just switched the country's name.
Read the opening thread now to clearify your confusion.
This article is correct one.Also read the current opening article.
India, Bangladesh to make historic exchange of 162 enclaves on midnight-IndiaTV News
India-Bangladesh make history, exchange adversely-held 162 enclaves at midnight
IANS [ Updated 01 Aug 2015, 07:45:01 ]
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Around 14,000 people living for so long in 51 Bangladeshi enclaves in the Indian territory, and another 37,000 residing in 111 Indian enclaves in Bangladesh, now have a country of their own.
The Bangladeshi enclaves are now a part of India, while the Indian enclaves join Bangladesh.
Torches and candles were lit, people came out of their houses, burst crackers and hugged each other as part of the celebrations with their eyes shining bright with hope.
Their facial expressions showed ecstasy after decades of isolation and deprivation during which they were denied even the basic civic amenities.
History was written as India gave away to Bangladesh a total area of 17,160 acres, covering the 111 enclaves and in return received 7,110 acres comprising 51 enclaves.
As the clock struck 12, the Bharat Bangladesh Enclave Exchange Co-ordination Committee (BBEECC) - an organisation that fought for the rights of the enclave dwellers -- celebrated the occasion in Mosaldanga enclave of West Bengal's Cooch Behar district.
Sixty-eight candles were lit, marking the years the enclave dwellers have remained stateless. Besides, a documentary was also screened highlighting their struggle.
The Cooch Behar district administration has planned celebrations at 9 a.m. on Saturday. However, it will be a low key affair owing to the national mourning being observed following the death of former president A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.
"As a part of the celebrations, the tricolour will be hoisted in all the 51 enclaves but will be subsequently put on half mast as the country is in national mourning," said Cooch Behar District Magistrate P. Ulagnathan.
The 111 Indian enclaves are located in the Bangladesh districts of Lalmonirhat (59), Panchagarh (36), Kurigram 12 and Nilphamari (4) while all the 51 Bangladeshi enclaves are situated in Cooch Behar district of West Bengal.
The swapping is in pursuance of the inking and exchange of documents of the Land Boundary Agreement (LBA) on June 6 in Dhaka, in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina.
The LBA was first inked in 1974 by then Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and former Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi.
"July 31, 2015 will thus be a historic day for both India and Bangladesh. The day marks the resolution of a complex issue that has lingered since independence. It also marks the day from which enclave residents on both sides of the border will enjoy the benefits of nationality of India or Bangladesh, as the case may be, and thus access to civic services, education, healthcare and other facilities provided by the two governments to their respective nationals," said an official statement released by the central government.
Other steps with regard to implementation of the 1974 Land Boundary Agreement and 2011 Protocol are underway in accordance with agreed modalities between the Indian and Bangladeshi governments, it said.
It would have been better if muslims in those former BD enclaves migrated to BD but i guess nobody wants to go through the bureaucratic hassle & risk of losing ones property. Not to mention BD's indian sponsored regime is highly anti-islamic and corrupt to the core.
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