Mamata Banarjee In the meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on the sidelines of SAARC summit in Kathmandu of Nepal on November 26, Indian Prime Minister Narandra Modi had highlighted the initiative for implementing the Land Boundary Agreement with Bangladesh. Three days after this, Modi said at a public rally in Assam his government is moving towards the implementation of the land boundary agreement. In continuation of this Paschimbangla Chief Minister and Trinamul Congress President Mamata Banarjee also endorsed on yesterday (Thursday) the process of land boundary agreement implementation giving her consent to the settlement of enclave problem. Addressing a rally of Dinhatta in Cooachbiher district, having enclaves, she said, “We want the enclave problem to be resolved. The relations between the two countries (Bangladesh and India) were good in the past also, and will remain so in the future as well. Mamata Banarjee basically extended support to the initiative to implement the Bangladesh-India land boundary agreement and its protocol. Several thousand inhabitants of some Bangladeshi enclaves inside India were also present at the meeting. They were not so much delighted at this assertion of Mamata. Because many of them already came to know earlier that the move by India to implement the agreement has advanced a long way. Modi government wants to implement the land boundary agreement with India for the interest of India even in the face of objection by Mamata. Moreover, they have already been informed through media reports of the paschimbangla government’s consent to the issue of implementing the agreement. However, BJP is considering Mamata’s support to the land boundary agreement as vaporous. At the same time Congress and Left Front also criticised as opportunistic this change of stance by Mamata. BJP Paschimbangla unit’s President Rahul Sinha said that Mamata had done everything necessary to set fire to Bangladesh. Now she has realised that Modi government must implement the enclave agreement for the sake of India’s security and maintaining good relations with Bangladesh. So, she has staged under compulsion this drama before the people of the enclave. This will not bring any fruit for her. Not only of India, but the people of Bangladesh also know that this support of Mamata carries no value. In the opinion of state Congress President Adhir Chowdhury, this problem had been resolved already by Congress. This only awaits implementation now. He also raised question about the change of time by Mamata at this moment. Left Front Leader Biman Bose said, left front has been voicing demand since long for the Teesta deal including enclaves. But the Chief Minister of Paschim Bangla state does not want the relations of the state with Bangladesh to remain good. It is she who has damaged these relations. Left Front welcomes the initiative to implement the enclave agreement. Political analyst and journalist Amit Bose said, the Land Boundary Agreement was signed by Indira Ganghi and Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1974. The agreement provides for swaping of adversely occupied land of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Paschimbangla with Bangladesh along with exchange of enclaves. Diptiman Sengupta, assistant secretary of Bharat Bangladesh Enclave Exchange Coordination Committee (BBEECC), said such announcement of Mamta was expected. The problem will be resolved though belatedly. The UPA regime under Dr Manmohan Singh’s leadership failed in its bid to implement land boundary agreement and related protocol. If land boundary agreement and protocol come into effect, the boundary of Bangladesh and India will be changed. As the demarcation of land boundary of India is specified in its constitution, it is necessary to amend the country’s constitution to bring any change in it. Indian Prime Minister Norendra Modi told Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at SAARC Summit in Kathmandu that constitution amendment bill will be discussed in the Lok Sabha during its current session. In the latest development, on Sunday, parliamentary standing committee of India’s Ministry of External Affairs submitted its recommendation to implement Land Boundary Agreement (LBA) with Bangladesh. As per the LBA signed in 1974 and protocol of 2011, a number of 162 enclaves should be exchanged between the two countries. The number of Indian enclaves lying in Bangladesh territory is 111 spreading 17, 160 acres of area. On the other hand, 51 Bangladeshi enclaves are located in Indian boundary covering 7,110 acres of land. Around 51,000 people are confined in 162 enclaves. They are leading a sub-human life. If the LBA is implemented, Bangladesh will get its enclaves within its boundary while India will get its. Besides, Bangladesh will have to return 2,398.05 acres of land to Paschimbanga, nearly 240 acres to Meghalaya and 138.41 acres to Tripura. In return, Bangladesh will get 1,957.59 acres of area from Paschimbanga, 268.39 acres from Assam and 41.702 acres from Meghalaya. Diplomatic sources said India has got a strong government which is capable of implementing previous decisions. It is learnt that Modi is inclined to visit Bangladesh. In absence of any headway in implementation of LBA and signing of Teesta water agreement, his visit is being delayed. Modi’s government is trying to get Teesta water agreement signed. But the pending issues like LBA and protocol are going to see light first. India is going to decide such matters at this stage. After having above issues solved, Modi will come to Bangladesh. He wants Chief Minister of Paschimbanga to accompany him. In the given circumstances, President Abdul Hamid is going to Delhi at the invitation of Indian President Pranab Mukherjee. New Delhi is taking the upcoming visit of Abdul Hamid with great significance. Diplomatic sources said Modi government wants to take its relations with Bangladesh to a new high. Times of India adds: The hope for implementation of the long-pending Land Boundary Agreement with Bangladesh brightened up on Thursday with Indian West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee declaring her approval for the deal, saying “the problem will be solved soon”. “A solution is being worked out for border enclaves. (I) hope the problem will be solved soon. We hope there will be a diplomatic agreement,” Banerjee said at a programme at Dinhata in Coochbehar district, bordering Bangladesh, while inaugurating several state government projects. Banerjee said her government would write a letter to the Centre requesting for an early solution to the problems of enclaves. “Only implementation of the LBA will not do, a proper rehabilitation package will have to be worked out and there should be also improvement of roads,” she said. “We want an early solution of the problem of the (border) enclaves. The relation between India and Bangladesh have been cordial and will continue to remain so (in future too). “We want people living in the enclaves to get their rights. I wish both Bangladesh and India stay well,” she said. Last week, Indian prime minister Narendra Modi said in Assam that steps would be taken to stop inflow of illegal migrants from Bangladesh with which India would operationalise the land swapping deal for a permanent solution to the infiltration problem. There are 162 adversely-held enclaves in Bangladeshi and Indian territories. Almost 51,000 people reside in these enclaves. The territories involved in the exchange are in Assam, West Bengal, Meghalaya and Tripura. TMC had earlier proved to be a stumbling block when the UPA II government was closing in on the pact.
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