At a Glance

Table A

Total Enclave (In Numbers): 130

Total Enclave Land Area: 20,957.07 Acres

Total Population of the of Enclaves: 01.50 Lakh to 02 Lakh

Largest Enclave: Balapara-Khagrabari

Total Land Area of Largest Enclave: 04,402.79 Acres

Total Population of Largest Enclave:

Biggest Enclave: Dahala-Khagrabari

Total Land Area of Biggest Enclave: 02,650.35 Acres

Total Population of Biggest Enclave:

Smallest Enclave: Panishala

Total Land Area of Smallest Enclave: 0.27 Acres

Total Population of Smallest Enclave:

Enclaves under Indian Police Station (In Numbers): 05

Table B

Total Enclave (In Numbers): 95

Total Enclave Land Area: 12,289.37 Acres

Total Population of the of Enclaves : 01.25 Lakh

Largest Enclave: Dahagram-Angarpota

Total Land Area of Largest Enclave: 04,616.85 Acres

Total Population of Largest Enclave:

Biggest Enclave: Dahagram

Total Land Area of Biggest Enclave: 03,877.05 Acres

Total Population of Biggest Enclave:

Smallest Enclave: Upen Chouki Bhajni

Total Land Area of Smallest Enclave: 0.71 Acres

Total Population of Smallest Enclave:

Enclaves under Bangladeshi Police Station (In Numbers): 09

Points

1. The Coochbehar district of Northeast Indian State, West Bengal has world’s biggest cluster of exclaves and enclaves. 01.25 lakh people live in 95-numbers of Bangladeshi enclave, existing over the area of 12,289.37 acres of land. That means, 8311.15 acres of land excess of Indian lands, which Indian took control over the enclaves in the year 1949 after the 'merger-agreement'.
2. Between the years 1971 to 1997, near about 01,200-numbers of family containing 06,000 numbers of Indian enclave’s people leave their land, who have the ancestor’s landed properties or forcibly driven out from homestead and became penniless.
3. After 'Tinbigha Corridor' at of Coochbehar under North-Bengal areas of the Indian State West-Bengal, handed over to Bangladesh on 26th June, 1992 as ‘lease’ for 999 years on 52,000 people have no future.
4. On 25th November, 1992, the Government of India has declared that here has to be an exchange of enclaves between the two nations.
5. By the year, 1994, India and Bangladesh has identified as many as 225-numbers of enclave. Of them, there are 130-numbers of enclave, which are belonged to India, while the rest of the 95-numbers of enclave, which are belonged to Bangladesh. Of them, 119-numbers of Indian exchangeable enclave in Bangladesh, which has covered 17,157.72 acres of land, while rest of the 11-numbers of Indian enclave are non-exchangeable, which has covered 03,799.35 acres of land; because, India has no control over or access to these said (11 numbers of non-exchangeable Indian) enclaves.
6. Out of 95-numbers of Bangladeshi enclave are present in India, 72-numbers of Bangladeshi enclave in India are exchangeable, which has covered 07,160.85 acres of land, while rest of the 23-numbers of Bangladeshi enclave are non-exchangeable, which has covered 05,128,52 acres of land; because, Bangladesh has no over or access to these above (23 numbers of non-exchangeable Bangladeshi) enclaves.
7. As per Bangladesh Government is concern, of the total 162-numbers of enclave, 111-numbers belong to India and those are inside Bangladesh territory [59 numbers are in Lalmonirhat (under Sadar, Patgram and Hatibandha Upazila {that is, Sub-District}s 36-numbers in Panchagarh (under Sadar, Boda and Debigonj Upazilas), 04 numbers in Nilphamari (under Dimla Upazila) and 12-numbers in Kurigram (under Sadar, Fulbari and Bhurungamari Upazilas) districts], while rest of the 51-numbers of enclave, which are belonged to Bangladesh, are fallen inside the Indian territory (that is, under Coochbehar district ofNorth-East Indian State, West Bengal). Of them, [18-numbers are in Kurigram district {16-numbers of enclave under Bhurungamari Upazila and 02-numbers of enclave under Fulbari Upazila} and 33-numbers are in Lalmonirhat district of Bangladesh {01 number of enclave under Aditmari Upazila and 32-numbers of enclaves under Patgram Upazila} respectively] but under the administrative jurisdictions of aforesaid districts of Bangladesh.
8. There are 111-numbers of Indian enclave (a total of 17,158.05/17,258.24 acres of land) falls within Bangladeshi territory, while similarly; there are 51/53-numbers of Bangladeshi enclave (a total of 07,083.72/07,110.02 acres of land) falls within the Indian territory.
9. In this context, it has been decided and agreed between the aforesaid two nations as per Indira-Mujib Accord, March, 1974 that both the countries would give up their claims over these existing enclaves (which are small patches of land owned by both the nations way inside each other’s territory) and populace living in these aforesaid enclaves would be given the choice of going to either nation.
10. Indian enclaves are under Indian Police Station (PS)s – Dinhata, Sitalkuchi, Mathabhanga, Mekhliganj and Haldibari. While Bangladeshi enclaves are under Bangladeshi PSs – Panchagarh, Boda, Debigonj, Patgram, Hatibandha, Kaliganj, Lalmonirhat, Phulbari and Bhurungamari.
11. Bangladesh alleged, "As per the accord, Government of Bangladesh has handed over total of 02.64 square miles of Indian Berubari enclave and its surrounding areas to India immediately, but, in exchange, Government of India partially solved the problem of Dahogram and Angarpota enclaves after a long time later, that is, in the year, 1996. Not only that as per the constitutional requirement, Government of Bangladesh has ratified the Indira- Mujib Act, 1974 in the Bangladesh Parliament immediately, while the Government of India declines to do the same repeatedly".

Note: According to the sources of BSFI, the Dahagram-Angarpota enclaves, under Patgram Police Station of the Lalmonirhat district of Rangpur Division of Bangladesh, which is also near the Indian Police Station – Mekhliganj of Coochbehar district on Northeast Indian State, West Bengal, is an area of 07.15 square miles (international boundary length of 32-kilometres), which is situated inside the Indian territory (near Coochbehar district of Indian State, West Bengal). The Article I of the Indira-Mujib international border pact offered that India would retain Berubari Union in return for retention of aforesaid Bangladeshi enclaves – Dahagram and Angarpota enclaves without compensation for any additional area going to Bangladesh. The pact offered for a corridor to be given to Bangladesh connecting these enclaves to the Bangladesh mainland so that proper administration could be provided to these enclaves by Bangladesh. An agreement for leasing an area of size of ‘03-Bigha’ acres (known as – ‘Teen Bigha’) to make the corridor was signed on 07th October, 1982 between the foreign ministers of the two nations. The corridor has been made and leased in perpetuity to Bangladesh. The modalities for lease and use of the corridor have been spelt out in detail in the agreement of 1982. ‘Teen Bigha corridor’ was inaugurated on 26th June, 1992.

Indeed, enclave is a peculiar phenomena existing in the India-Bangladesh international boundary in the Cooch-Behar district of the Eastern Indian State, West Bengal (WB). Possibly, such phenomenon does not exist anywhere else in the globe. An enclave may be illustrated as an ‘area’ of one nation lying entirely within the territory of another nation without any physical contiguity with the parent company.

But, most the interesting fact is that some of the enclaves are situated inside another enclave.

"Look, enclave 'as independent state of exclaves of a neighbouring nation, which pierce the host country". Not only that, these enclaves become suitable points or places for illegal infiltrations, human trafficking, smuggling, importation of contrabands and avoiding customs and excise duties, illegal religious fundamental activities, and so on.

Because of the position, it is impossible for any respective government or administration to rule or control these particular areas, which are fallen in these above enclaves. Because of this, these above enclaves become safe haven for the anti-socials, anti-nationals, criminals, hooligans and unlawful activities. It is fact that the breaches of the territorial limits by the inhabitants of aforesaid enclaves are a common characteristic as the dwellers are reliant on the nation by which they are surrounded for their day-to-day wants. Even, these enclaves have high rate of offense resultantly the peace and harmonies in these areas are destabilized”, defined one of the writer-cum-observers of India.

Notwithstanding that and whatever may be the causes or reasons, at last, India and Bangladesh have agreed to initiate steps to facilitate exchange of enclaves. On 11th November, 2010, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of India informed that after the discussion of 04thIndia Bangladesh Joint Boundary Working Group(IBJBWG), which was set up in December, 2000, at capital of India, New Delhi that had held in between 10th November, 2010 to 11th November, 2010 that an outcome had been come out to resolve the long pending disputed issues. Like un-demarcated international border between the aforesaid two nations, including complicated matters – the territories in Adverse Possession and Enclaves. However, the said group met firstly on the said issue in July, 2001, and has completed 04-numbers of meetings so far. In this context, it can be mentioned here that in 11th January, 2010, Indian PM, Dr. Manmohan Singh and the Bangladesh PM, Sheikh Hasina Wazed had already agreed to solve each and every outstanding issues keeping on view the spirit of Land Boundary Agreement, 1974, and to convene aforesaid IBJBWG to take further course of action frontward.

On 20th January, 2011, The Government of India and the Government of Bangladesh adopted a policy to do away the long-standing sufferings and harassments of the around 02 lakh numbers of people inhabited in the Indian and Bangladeshi enclaves. In this context, a joint meeting of the members of the administrative body of the above two nations was called in which the matters related to enclaves were discussed. After that a joint discussion, it was decided that the enclaves of the both the countries were included with the mainland of the aforesaid two nations. In fact, both the above nations agreed to make an exchange their enclaves mutually after thinking over the endless distress of the natives of the both country’s enclaves. It is fact that the denizens of the aforesaid enclaves of the two nations have immense problems, whose complexity knows no bound and to do away them, this discussion for exchanging and incorporating of the enclaves was adopted.

Not only that, the above two nations however agreed that the long standing problems as related above would be solved or be brought to an end if and when the 'existence of the enclaves' would be done away with completely. In other words, Bangladesh would be the 'owner' of the 111-numbers of the Indian enclaves, which are fallen into the Bangladesh territory, while India would be the owner of 51-numbers of the Bangladeshi enclaves, which have still lying within the Bangladeshi territory. Nevertheless, in that case, the inhabitants of the both the enclaves of the aforesaid two states would get an opportunity to choose with, when they would live or be citizen as per their will. And set the process in motion, the administrative officers of the both the countries would move from door-to-door to collect the exact figures of the residents of the enclaves of the aforesaid two states. Apart from this, the 'Teen Bigha Corridor' would soon be open round-the-clock (that is, 24-hours a day) – for it’s inhabitants for their 'free movement' between the aforementioned two Bangladeshi enclaves – Dahagram and Angarpota. Even, electricity system and the pure-drinking water system would be provided to the people of the enclaves of Dahagram and Angarpota. Although, much-awaited power network in Dahagram and Angarpota had been completed.

It is fact that the above two nations signed an agreement in the year, 1974 to solve the 04,096.70-kilometres of India Bangladesh International Border. However, in this context, Bangladesh ratified the accord right away, but the India refrained from doing the same. The Indian Government at last agreed to settle the aforesaid international border disputes with Bangladesh during the India visit of the prime-minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina Wazed between 11th January, 2010 to 13th January, 2010. During the tour, Bangladesh gave transit facility to India to reach its 07th North East Indian States through Bangladesh, a demand India had been making since the 1970s.

"We talked about all the issues with a positive approach. The handover of enclaves of both the countries (which too arose before the birth of Bangladesh) will start soon”, emphasized the secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, Abdus Sobhan Sikder at a joint press-conference after the two-day 11th home secretary-level talks between the two nations – India and Bangladesh at Sheraton hotel of Dhaka, capital of Bangladesh on 20th January, 2011.

On the other hand, the Advocate Shahara Khatun, Home Minister, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh revealed, "Indeed, though, the aforesaid two neighbours have boundary disputes since the birth of Bangladesh in 1971. Specially, the problems of the enclaves. There are also issues like adversely possessed lands in both the territories. That is, Bangladesh and India have kept each others territory in their possessions, which is termed as adverse possession of land, which is one of the reasons of international border disputes and clashes, including the construction of military ware obstacles within 150-yards (that is, 138-metres) of the above noted international borders".

Kamaluddin Ahmed, Joint secretary, Ministry of HomeAffairs, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh led the delegation of Bangladesh, while joint secretary, Ministry of HomeAffairs, Government of India (Northeastern Region), Shambhu Singh is heading the Indian delegation in the aforesaid joint meetings.

[Author is former BBC, The Statesman, The Times of India & Hindustan Times & The Telegraph, AP, AFP & PTI Contributor-cum-Photographer of Northeast India/The writer specialises in Northeast Affairs]