All India Radio
INDIA-BANGLADESH ENCLAVES SWAP
AIR Spotlight was not updated for the past two days and the recent topic was not so important for exam. So we have given the summary of Aug 1 2015 discussion on India Bangladesh land border deal. Click here for audio, and search 1st August 2015, Spotlight/News Analysis
An enclave is a region surrounded by a foreign territory. There are 111 enclaves of India existing in Bangladesh and 51 enclaves of Bangladesh existing in India. It was one of the legacy issues of contentious partition of the country in 1947.
Prior to the formation of Bangladesh in 1971, several efforts were made to resolve the enclave’s issue.
- Nehru-Noon Agreement
- Indira-Mujibur Accord
- Joint Working Group
- Protocol in 2011
The 1974 Indira-Mujibur accord was ratified by Bangladesh. But Indian Parliament couldn’t do it. The main reason is the requirement of Constitutional Amendment which necessitates a 2/3rd majority of Parliament, by each house separately and agreement to it by more than half of all the State Legislatures with a simple majority.
The major problems faced by the people in these enclaves were lack of access to resources and facilities. Since the area around enclaves was surrounded by a foreign country they are not allowed to cross the border and make use of the facilities around. People lived a stateless life in the enclaves.
These enclaves had become the centre of illegal activity – illegal migration, drug trafficking, fake currency notes, hideout places for militants and criminals.
With the Land Boundary Agreement (100th Constitutional Amendment), the 51 enclaves of Bangladesh in India will become part of India and the people will get Indian citizenship; the 111 enclaves of India in Bangladesh will become part of Bangladesh and those people will get Bangladesh citizenship. People in both these enclaves were given choice to settle in either of the enclaves.
Since the land dispute has been resolved now, India-Bangladesh cooperation/dispute settlement in other fields can be moved forward – for example in teesta deal, border trade, business investments, linkage between the two countries etc. Also, the problems like drug trafficking and illegal migrants/militants can now be better controlled.
In future it is important for India to see that North East region is accessed through Bangladesh via road, rail and water ways and to improve connectivity with rest of India. The Bangladesh-Bhutan-India-Nepal Motor Vehicle Agreement (BBIN-MVA) is a step in the right direction for enhancing the regional connectivity.
NOTE- No update for next 3 days. Will be resumed from Monday
