THE saga of enclave people that continued to haunt over 51 thousand stateless people in 162 adversely possessed land strips on both sides of the border disappeared breaking new history at last mid night. It is an epoch making event that left behind 68 years’ miseries of the people by giving national identity to them as Bangladeshi or Indian nationals. On Bangladesh side 111 Indian enclaves with 17,160 acres of land and 37,334 people have become integral part of Bangladesh as sovereign territory from this morning with celebrations started from last night. The new dawn brought them new national identity and we welcome the people in those enclaves as new citizens of our country. We must do everything now to make their life better ending all discrimination and deprivations. Indeed, the swap of the enclaves was a difficult task waiting to be resolved over the years mainly delayed by Indian leg dragging while the people in those enclaves were shut within their land strips denying freedom of movement. They have become free citizens from today. The national flag of Bangladesh is flying past from early this morning in those land strips as they become totally merged into the main land. Similarly, 51 Bangladeshi enclaves on the Indian side of the border became integral part of India with 7,110 acres of land and 14,251 nationals as new Indian citizens. Bangladesh and Indian officials exchanged maps of those enclaves on Thursday duly signed and formally announcing the desolation of the enclaves to be effective from mid-night of July 31. They also issued gazette notifications to this effect thereby fulfilling the implementation of the Indira-Mujib Land Boundary Agreement (LBA) signed in 1974. With the exchange of the enclaves, the map of Bangladesh becomes almost complete, except the exchange of some adversely possessed land at some border points and the demarcation of 6 km border at Belonia on Bangladesh-Tripura border. We are aware of the fact that the exchange of those lands at the borders will also take place soon. Earlier in July last year, Bangladesh and India were also able to resolve disputes over the sea in the Bay of Bengal under an award by the Hague based United Nations International Maritime Tribunals. It established Bangladesh’s claim over 19,467 square km in the sea although it also cost Bangladesh to withdraw ownership from over part of its original claim. Needless to say, the exchange of enclaves has ended the last colonial seed of discord and sufferings of people confining them to isolated land strips. Now as they have become free citizens breaking the past shackles, it is advisable that the government must do everything possible to improve their living conditions. There must be new development programme in those areas to improve roads, schools and hospitals to end discriminations and accelerate their integration to bring them back on the road to socio-economic progress. We welcome the new citizens and wish them every success.
