Take steps to rehabilitate residents of Bangladeshi enclaves

Rezaul Karim | Published: July 25, 2015 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2024 06:01:00

The government is set to take necessary steps to rehabilitate the residents of Bangladeshi enclaves on the Indian side and return the people of Indian enclaves on the Bangladeshi side from August 01 next, officials said.
The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) in a letter has asked the authorities concerned to take necessary steps to rehabilitate the residents of Bangladeshi enclaves and return the people of Indian enclaves, they added.
The letter has been sent to the ministry of home affairs and other ministries as well as the offices of Deputy Commissioners (DCs) concerned.
The authorities concerned are keeping in contact with the DCs concerned about the residents of Bangladeshi enclaves. Effective steps for rehabilitation of the residents will be taken as per their necessity after visiting the enclaves, sources said.
According to an Indo-Bangla joint survey report, there are 14,500 residents in 51 Bangladeshi enclaves on the Indian side while 44,500 people in 111 Indian enclaves landlocked in Bangladesh.
The joint survey began in Bangladesh and India on July 06 to record the choice of nationality of 51,584 people in 162 enclaves in each other's territories ahead of enclave exchange on July 31 next.
According to the Land Boundary Agreement signed recently between the two countries, 75 joint teams were formed to conduct the survey.
Of the total, 10 survey teams worked in Kurigram district, 20 in Lalmonirhat district, 19 in Panchagarh district and one in Nilphamari district while 25 others in Cooch Bihar district of India.
The survey included a joint census, enlistment of land category, taking photographs and filling up of forms mentioning one's desire which country's citizenship s/he prefers.
According to the latest survey conducted four years ago, 111 Indian enclaves on the Bangladeshi side have 17,158 acres of land. Of them, 36 enclaves in Panchagarh district have 190 acres of land while 58 enclaves in Lalmonirhat district 8,978 acres of land, 12 enclaves in Kurigram district 1,880 acres of land and five enclaves in Nilphamari district have 6,110 acres of land.
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