Introduction
Bangladesh is a South Asian country, located in the delta of the Padma (Ganges) and Jamuna (Brahmaputra) rivers in the northeastern part of the Indian subcontinent. It has an Area of 147,570 sq. km. It is located between 20°34' to 26°38' north latitude and 88°01' to 92°41' east longitude. Maximum extension is about 440 km in E-W direction and 760 km in NNW-SSE direction. Borders of modern Bangladesh were established with the partition of Bengal in August 1947 at the time of partition of India.
Bangladesh Border
INDIA
- West
Bengal to the west and north
- Assam
to the north
- Meghalaya
to the north and northeast
- Tripura
and Mizoram to the east
MYANMAR
- Burma
to the southeast.
BAY OF BENGAL
- Southern
Part
Bangladeshi Districts with Border
30 Districts with India
|
Division |
Total |
Districts
|
|
Mymensingh
|
4 |
1.
Jamalpur, 2.Sherpur, 3. Mymensingh 4. Netrokona |
|
Sylhet |
4 |
1.
Sylhet, 2. Sunamganj, 3.
Moulvibazar, 4. Habiganj |
|
Chattogram
|
6 |
1.
Chattogram, 2. Rangamati, 3.
Khagrachori, 4.
Feni, 5. Cumilla, 6. Brahmanbaria |
|
Rajshahi
|
4 |
1.
Jaipurhat, 2. Naogaon, 3. Chapainawabganj, 4. Rajshahi |
|
Rangpur
|
6 |
1.
Kurigram, 2. Lalmonirhat, 3. Panchagarh 4.
Nilfamari, 5. Thakurgaon, 6. Dinajpur |
|
Khulna |
6 |
1.
Meherpur, 2. Kushtia, 3. Chuadanga 4.
Jhenaidah, 5. Jessore, 6. Shatkkhira |
3 Districts with Myanmar
|
Division |
Total |
Districts
|
|
Chattogram
|
3 |
1.
Rangamati 2. Bandarban 3. Cox’s Bazar |
Border Places, Upazilas, Districts and Divisions
|
Location |
Place
|
Upazila
|
District
|
Division
|
|
North
Most |
Jaygirjot/Banglabandha
|
Tetulia |
Panchagarh
|
Rangpur
|
|
South
Most |
Chhera
Island/Saint Martin Island |
Teknaf |
Cox’s
Bazar |
Chattogram
|
|
East
Most |
Akhainthong |
Thanchi |
Bandarban
|
Chattogram |
|
West
Most |
Monakosha
|
Shibganj |
Chapainawabganj |
Rajshahi
|
|
Northeast |
- |
Jokiganj |
Sylhet |
Sylhet |
|
Southwest
|
- |
Shyamnagar |
Shatkhira |
Khulna |
|
Southeast
|
- |
Teknaf |
Cox’s
Bazar |
Chattogram
|
Quick Info's regarding Bangladesh Border
- Barishal
and Dhaka division has no connection with border.
- 8
districts of West Bengal are connected along with border. (Murshidabad,
Nadiya, Chobbish pargana, Maldah, Birbhum, Kuchbihar, Jolpaiguri, Barasat)
- 15
districts with West Bengal.
- 4
districts with Assam. (Kurigram, Sylhet, Sunamganj, Moulvibazar)
- 6
district with Tripura. (Feni, Cumilla, Habiganj, Brahmanbaria,
Khagrachori, Chattogram)
- 4
district with Meghalaya. (Netrokona, Sherpur, Jamalpur, Mymensingh)
- 1
common district with Tripura and Mizoram (Rangamati)
- Bangladesh
and India has 6.5 km of un-demarcated boundary. (Panchgar 1.5 km, Feni 2
km, Moulvibazar 3 km)
- Panchagarh
district of Bangladesh is located along with Berubari Union.
- Farakka
Barrage is 16.5 km from the border of Bangladesh, Near Shibganj.
Enclaves (Chhitmahal Issues)
‘Any portion of
State that is entirely surrounded by the territory of another state’ is known as enclave.
Previous District
wise location of Enclaves
|
Bangladeshi Enclaves inside India |
Indian
Enclaves inside Bangladesh |
||
|
Location
|
No of
Enclaves |
Location
|
No of
Enclaves |
|
Kuchbihar
|
47 |
Lalmonirhat
|
59 |
|
Jolpaiguri |
4 |
Panchagarh
|
36 |
|
Kurigram
|
12 |
||
|
Nilfamari
|
4 |
||
|
Total |
51 |
111 |
|
|
Volume
7110 Acres |
Volume
17158 Acres |
||
|
Population
14215 |
Population
37369 |
||
§ NB: Out of 51 enclaves 18 was under Kurigram and 33 was under Lalmonirhat.
Tin Bigha Corridor
- 16
May, 1974 Agreement:
Bangladesh will handover Berubari and in return Bangladesh will get passage (178 m x 85 m) to Dahagram & Angorpota enclaves through Tin Bigha Corridor. This passage connects these Enclaves to Panbari Mouza in mainland of Bangladesh.
- 26
June 1992:
Leasing to Bangladesh at a token of price. (Now waived off)
- 8 Sept
2011, Additional Protocol:
24 Hrs access to Bangladeshi National to the Enclaves
through the Passage.
Problems of Enclaves
- Inhabitants
could not enjoy full legal rights (eg. Right to vote)
- Deficient
Infrastructural Facilities – Electricity, Schools, Health Services
- Absence
of Law Enforcement Agencies; Hot Bed of Criminal Activities.
Difficulties in Resolution of the Land Boundary Dispute
1.
Berubari Dispute
- Omission
of Thana Boda in Jalpaiguri District by Radcliff & erroneous
depiction on map.
- Resolved
by Nehru – Noor Agreement; Division between India & East Pakistan;
cleared by Supreme Court in 1971.
- 1974 Agreement: Retained by India
2. Enclaves
§
Indian Enclaves in 4 district of Bangladesh.
§
Bangladeshi Enclaves in Cooch Bihar District of
West Bengal.
3. Adverse Possessions
§
People are technically in occupation &
possession of land beyond the Boundary Pillars.
§
Deep rooted ties to ancestral land; sentimental
& religious attachments.
India - Bangladesh Land Boundary Agreement
§
16th May, 1974: Signed between
Indira Gandhi & Sheikh Mujibur Rahman for resolving the enclave issue.
(Also known as Mujib – Indira Treaty)
§
28th November, 1974: Amendment
(3rd) in Bangladeshi Constitution regarding exchange of enclaves and
fixation of boundary lines.
§
2001: Two Join Boundary Working Groups
(JBWG) (Identify the boundary between Bangladesh and India.)
§
8 Sept, 2011: Additional Protocol for
1974 Agreement by India.
§
7th May, 2015: Revised Version
adopted by two countries.
§
6th June, 2015: India –
Bangladesh Land Boundary Agreement entered into force by the approval of the
Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha of India.
§
1 July, 2015: Official opening of
enclave.
§
31st July, 2015 – 30th
June, 2016: Physical Exchange of Enclaves.
§
75 Teams each comprising an Authority
from India & Bangladesh – Enquire about Choice of Citizenship. 1 supervisor
over 5 such team.
Outcome of India-Bangladesh Land Boundary Agreement
- Transfer
of 111 enclaves, adding up to 17,160.63 acres, from India to Bangladesh.
- India
received 51 enclaves, adding up to 7,110.02 acres, which were under
Bangladesh.
- Resolved
adverse possessions, which were first addressed in the 2011 Protocol.