Resolutions to long-pending three issues over Bangladesh-India border dispute that included transfer of enclaves and adversely possessed land and demarcation of 6.5 km border are at the final stage. Officials of the concerned ministries are hopeful of ending the solution process of those issues by the third week of current month August.
Officials of both the countries have been speaking in strong voice about reaching a final solution over those issues during the coming Dhaka visit of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on 7 and 8 September.
Transfer of Enclaves
Foreign Ministry officials said as a part of transferring the enclaves, headcounts in 162 enclaves and exclaves inside both the countries have been completed. According to the counting, population living in 111 Indian enclaves and exclaves inside Bangladesh is 37,000 while the population in 51 Bangladesh enclaves and exclaves inside India is 14,000.
When asked on what basis the transfer of enclaves will be done, a responsible senior official said that the criteria of transferring the enclaves and exclaves to be determined politically. In this context, he referred to the Mujib-Indira agreement of 1974.
As per Clause 3 of border demarcation treaty, people would have to give opportunity to decide their own to choice their place of living during the transfer of land. It means if anybody wants to live in his or her present land, his or her such wish must be fulfilled.
Concerned officials also claimed progress in the process of transferring adversely possessed land and demarcation of 6.5 km border. When asked, Abdul Mannan, director general of the department of land survey said that most of the problems in handing over adversely possessed land have been resolved. Only two issues relating to 360 acres and 125 acres of land problems are still pending. On those, officials of both the countries sat on 18 August to resolve the dispute over century-old 360 acres land of Pallathal Tea Estate under Baralekha Subdistrict of Moulavibazar district. Another meeting over 125 acres land issue would be held next week. They are hopeful of resolving both the issues within the current month of August.
Abdul Mannan said significant progress has been achieved in demarcation of 6.5 km border. The two sides had reached a final solution over demarcation of Daikhata border after discussion held on 3 August. It was decided that 91.71 acres of land of the Daikhata border is owned by Bangladesh while 20 acres of land is owned by India.
It has been mentioned that 6.5 km border between Bangladesh and India at 3 sectors are still undemarcated. Of that, 2 kilometers are at Muhurirchar under Bangladesh-Tripura sector, 3 km are at Lathitila Dumbari under Bangladesh-Assam sector and 1.5 kilometers at Daikhata under Bangladesh-West Bengal sector. A number of officials who participated in a joint survey said they had faced serious difficulties in resolving the problems related to border line fixed by Radcliff.
Kamal Uddin Ahmed , joint secretary of the Home Ministry, told this correspondent that the survey was conducted through specific areas according to the map. After analyzing the study result, both the sides put in the final border demarcation mark on the map. Chiefs of survey departments of both the countries had held a meeting at Tamabil border on 2 May 2011 to finalize this strategic issue.
A senior official of survey department informed this correspondent that there were 25 complains on transferring of adversely possessed land. Later, it has been found that there was no problem against 10 disputes. Problems of 13 disputes, out of 15, were resolved. Among the solved adversely possessed land disputes, nine are at West Bengal sector, three at Tripura sector and one at Meghalaya sector while two are still unresolved at Assam sector. Of those, the total land of one disputed area is 360 acres and land area of another one is 125 acres.
Of the 15 pieces of adversely possessed lands, which are under process of transfer, six are owned by India and nine are owned by Bangladesh.
Cause of Adversely Possession
The boundary was shifted due to river erosion in different times. This has caused adverse possession of lands. Concerned officials opined that the problem would have not arisen, if both the two sides resolved those quickly through discussions.
Changing India’s Stance
The Joint Boundary Working Group at its latest meeting at New Delhi in November 2010 took a decision to resolve the issues in line with the 1974 treaty. Before that meeting, each time India was rigid on solving the border related unresolved issues separately. In this context, India said these issues would be solved in the ongoing process of demarcation of 6.5 kilometers border, persuasion of 1974 treaty and transferring of enclaves and adversely possessed lands. Bangladesh also proposed India to solve the issues on phases after joint visit to the enclaves and adversely possessed lands.
In this context, transfer of enclaves and other aspects of 1974 agreement were on the agenda of Bangladesh. But India favored at-a-time solutions to the issues rather than on phases. India virtually shifted from its long stance by placing such a proposal.
Officials of both the countries have been speaking in strong voice about reaching a final solution over those issues during the coming Dhaka visit of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on 7 and 8 September.
Transfer of Enclaves
Foreign Ministry officials said as a part of transferring the enclaves, headcounts in 162 enclaves and exclaves inside both the countries have been completed. According to the counting, population living in 111 Indian enclaves and exclaves inside Bangladesh is 37,000 while the population in 51 Bangladesh enclaves and exclaves inside India is 14,000.
When asked on what basis the transfer of enclaves will be done, a responsible senior official said that the criteria of transferring the enclaves and exclaves to be determined politically. In this context, he referred to the Mujib-Indira agreement of 1974.
As per Clause 3 of border demarcation treaty, people would have to give opportunity to decide their own to choice their place of living during the transfer of land. It means if anybody wants to live in his or her present land, his or her such wish must be fulfilled.
Concerned officials also claimed progress in the process of transferring adversely possessed land and demarcation of 6.5 km border. When asked, Abdul Mannan, director general of the department of land survey said that most of the problems in handing over adversely possessed land have been resolved. Only two issues relating to 360 acres and 125 acres of land problems are still pending. On those, officials of both the countries sat on 18 August to resolve the dispute over century-old 360 acres land of Pallathal Tea Estate under Baralekha Subdistrict of Moulavibazar district. Another meeting over 125 acres land issue would be held next week. They are hopeful of resolving both the issues within the current month of August.
Abdul Mannan said significant progress has been achieved in demarcation of 6.5 km border. The two sides had reached a final solution over demarcation of Daikhata border after discussion held on 3 August. It was decided that 91.71 acres of land of the Daikhata border is owned by Bangladesh while 20 acres of land is owned by India.
It has been mentioned that 6.5 km border between Bangladesh and India at 3 sectors are still undemarcated. Of that, 2 kilometers are at Muhurirchar under Bangladesh-Tripura sector, 3 km are at Lathitila Dumbari under Bangladesh-Assam sector and 1.5 kilometers at Daikhata under Bangladesh-West Bengal sector. A number of officials who participated in a joint survey said they had faced serious difficulties in resolving the problems related to border line fixed by Radcliff.
Kamal Uddin Ahmed , joint secretary of the Home Ministry, told this correspondent that the survey was conducted through specific areas according to the map. After analyzing the study result, both the sides put in the final border demarcation mark on the map. Chiefs of survey departments of both the countries had held a meeting at Tamabil border on 2 May 2011 to finalize this strategic issue.
A senior official of survey department informed this correspondent that there were 25 complains on transferring of adversely possessed land. Later, it has been found that there was no problem against 10 disputes. Problems of 13 disputes, out of 15, were resolved. Among the solved adversely possessed land disputes, nine are at West Bengal sector, three at Tripura sector and one at Meghalaya sector while two are still unresolved at Assam sector. Of those, the total land of one disputed area is 360 acres and land area of another one is 125 acres.
Of the 15 pieces of adversely possessed lands, which are under process of transfer, six are owned by India and nine are owned by Bangladesh.
Cause of Adversely Possession
The boundary was shifted due to river erosion in different times. This has caused adverse possession of lands. Concerned officials opined that the problem would have not arisen, if both the two sides resolved those quickly through discussions.
Changing India’s Stance
The Joint Boundary Working Group at its latest meeting at New Delhi in November 2010 took a decision to resolve the issues in line with the 1974 treaty. Before that meeting, each time India was rigid on solving the border related unresolved issues separately. In this context, India said these issues would be solved in the ongoing process of demarcation of 6.5 kilometers border, persuasion of 1974 treaty and transferring of enclaves and adversely possessed lands. Bangladesh also proposed India to solve the issues on phases after joint visit to the enclaves and adversely possessed lands.
In this context, transfer of enclaves and other aspects of 1974 agreement were on the agenda of Bangladesh. But India favored at-a-time solutions to the issues rather than on phases. India virtually shifted from its long stance by placing such a proposal.
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