Enclaves at Panchagarh in Bangladesh celebrate Indian cabinet’s nod to LBA deal

Residents of the Indian enclaves in Bangladeshi district Panchagarh have celebrated the Indian cabinet nod to enable exchange of enclaves with Bangladesh.

They distributed sweets and hug each other after hearing the news of the clearance of the Land Boundary Agreement between the two countries on Tuesday afternoon.
 
Many of Putimari residents were seen crowding the enclave office at Boda Upazila.
 
They offered sweets to the people passing the Panchagarh-Dhaka Highway.
 
Bangladesh-India Enclaves Exchange Coordination Committee’s chief for Panchagarh and Nilphamari districts Mafizar Rahman and Putimari enclave Chairman Taslim Uddin were present.
 
“We have been leading uncertain and inhumane lives for decades to achieve the right to get identity as a country’s citizen. Now everyone is celebrating as that uncertainty is now going to end,” Rahman said.
 
All 36 enclaves in Panchagarh were celebrating the development, he said.
 
Seventy-year-old Keramat Ali of Garati enclave became emotional. 
 
“I will have no sorrow if I die as a citizen of Bangladesh,” he said.
 
“At least, no one would say that I have no country,” he added.
 
Shalbarhi enclave citizen’s committee Chairman Sirajul Islam said, “It seems like we are getting new lives. The grief of many years is now disappearing.”