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India-Bangladesh enclave swapping starts today

by IBNS 30 Jul 2015, 10:13 pm

New Delhi, Jul 30 (IBNS) India and Bangladesh will finally start exchanging 162 enclaves from Friday to accord nationality to more than 51,000 people in a historic event that ends four decades of deadlock.

Under the landmark Land Boundary Agreement reached in June during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Dhaka visait, the adversely held "islands" will cease to exist as each country will assume sovereignty over all enclaves in its territory.

While India will hand over 51 enclaves, comprising 7,110 acres to its neighbour, Bangladesh will give India 111 enclaves comprising around 17,160 acres.

About 37,000 people are living in Indian enclaves in Bangladesh while 14,000 people are staying in Bangladeshi enclaves in India.

The LBA was originally signed between the two countries in 1974, but political complexities barred the way of its implementation till the Indian parliament ratified it this year.