Land Boundary Agreement: Decoding Progress

Land Boundary Agreement: Decoding Progress

Question: The Land Boundary Agreement between India and Bangladesh has progressed further. Decode the agreement.

About Enclaves

- An enclave is a patch of land encircled by other country territories

- India currently has a total of 111 such enclaves within Bangladesh

- Bangladesh has around 51 enclaves within the Indian territory

- These enclaves are located on the land boundary of the neighbouring nations of India and Bangladesh

- These territories belong to the princely states of Cooch Behar and Rangpur dating back to the 18th century

- The princely states Cooch Behar and Rangpur merged with India and Pakistan

- The enclaves remained as they were

- Indian enclaves in Bangladesh are spread over the following 4 districts: Panchagarh, Lalmonirhat, Kurigram and Nilphamari

- All the Bangladeshi enclaves located in Cooach Behar constitute persons who do not have complete legal rights as citizens of the nation and inability to access facilities such as electricity, schools and health services

- Currently, not a single household in Indian enclaves has opted to go for Bangladesh

- Around 979 persons living in Bangladesh enclaves have opted for the Indian territory

About Adverse Possession

- Adverse possession is a patch of land located within the boundary of Bangladesh

- Difference within the enclaves in these patches of land are under the occupation and administration of other nation

- India has 38 patches of land measuring 2777.038 acres in Bangladesh while the latter has 2267.682 acres in India

- Transferring land possession is a technicality

- People from Bangladesh enclaves opting for India will be given citizenship in 4 months of time

Facts and Stats

- Joint headcount of the area conducted from 14 to 17 July 2011 assessed the total population in the enclaves to number around 51,549 which includes 37,334 in Indian enclaves within Bangladesh and 14,215 in Bangladesh within the enclaves of India

- Total area covered by 111 Indian enclaves is 17160.63 acres

- 51 Bangladesh enclaves in India total 7110.02 acres