India Bangladesh Land Boundary Agreement – A historic agreement
India and Bangladesh Land Boundary Agreement was a long withstanding issue within both the governments since a long time. A LB agreement has already been signed between both these countries back in 1974 and a revised one was signed during Narendra Modi's visit to Bangladesh in June 2015. But this land boundary problem with India and Bangladesh is a unique problem unlike India's boundary issues with China and Pakistan.
What is the exact problem?
India's strange boundary with Bangladesh started from the Mughal rule. While most of the Bengal was under Mughal Empire, Cooch Behar was an independent kingdom in Bengal. The landowners from Mughal Empire and the Cooch Behar owned lands and fields on both sides leading to the current situation. Later after the British entered the scene Cooch Behar was given a princely state status under British protection and Bengal was a province under British India. In 1947 when India and Pakistan were given independence Cooch Behar chose to join Union of India and East Bengal joined Pakistan (currently Bangladesh). This resulted in India's "enclaves" surrounded by East Pakistan and East Pakistan's "enclaves" surrounded by Indian territory.
Enclaves on the Indian side and the Bangladesh side.
When Bangladesh became independent in 1971, India and Bangladesh attempted to solved the issue while exchanging enclaves in 1974 after Indian Prime Minister Indra Gandhi and her Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Rahman signed the first Land Boundary Agreement. However this agreement did not completely solve the issue as there were many more enclaves within India and Bangladesh. Subsequently in 2004 when Manmohan Singh government brought a revised Land Boundary Agreement bill into parliament (boundary agreements in India need Parliament approval) it was not supported by opposition BJP. However the same bill was supported by BJP taking a U-turn after it came to power. Modi gave an explanation on why his government is supporting the agreement. He said if the Land Boundary Agreement could be ratified, India's security and illegal immigrants from Bangladesh can be protected. With UPA's support, Modi was in Bangladesh to ratify the revised Land Boundary Agreement meaning a last bunch of enclaves would be exchanged.
Enclaves across both boundaries Ref: The Diplomat
Revised Land Boundary Agreement
Under this agreement, India will get 51 Bangladeshi enclaves (i.e. 51 or more enclaves, spread over 7,110 acres) in the Indian mainland, while Bangladesh will get 111 Indian enclaves (i.e. 95 or more enclaves, spread over 17,160 acres) in the Bangladeshi mainland. According to the agreement, the people living in these enclaves without a nationality will be allowed to choose their nationality. The physical exchange of people will begin from July 31, 2015 and will be implemented in phases until its completed by 30th June, 2016.
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Sumanth Mudigonda
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