CHHITMAHAL (ENCLAVE) EXCHANGE DEMAND

Stir plan at BD High Commission on enclave exchange

The India Bangladesh Enclave Exchange Co-ordination Committee will stage a demonstration at the office of the Bangladesh High Commissioner in Kolkata on 12 September demanding exchange of Chhitmahals (enclaves) between India and Bangladesh.

The IBEECC had observed Black Day at Indian and Bangladeshi enclaves on 14 and 15 August. They believe the enclaves were born on 14 August and their misery too started on and from that day. India had earned its independence 64 years ago but the miserable condition of the residents of the enclaves of India and Bangladesh is still persists, they argued.

Assistant secretary of the IBEECC Mr Diptiman Sengupta said they would stage a demonstration of enclave residents at the office of the Bangladeshi High Commissioner in Kolkata on 12 September. On 5 August, they pasted posters on the trains at New Cooch Behar railway station demanding exchange of enclaves. Mr Sengupta said they did it to draw attention of the governments of the two neighbouring countries, the ministers, government officials and also the general public about the need of exchange of Chhitmahals (enclaves) between India and Bangladesh. There are about 2.75-lakh people reside in the enclaves without any citizenship or any civic facilities offered by the governments.

Mr Sengupta said they would constitute a joint committee with members from India and Bangladesh to strengthen the movement to get the enclaves exchanged. In October they would organise a rally in Delhi where a huge number of enclave residents would attend to highlight their miseries and demand exchange of enclaves to draw and end to the painful saga.

According to IBEECC sources there are 129 Indian enclaves in Bangladesh territory and 95 Bangladeshi enclaves in Indian territory. About 2.75-lakh people reside in these enclaves.