Govt will do everything needed for enclave dwellers, says home minister

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal has said the government will do “everything needed” for those living in enclaves.

“Enclaves are now Bangladeshi land. The government is very eager to improve their (enclave dwellers) living standard,” he said on Thursday.

The minister was speaking at an interactive event with enclave inhabitants at Garati Forkania Madrasa ground at Harhibhasha Union under Lalmonirhat in the afternoon.

“Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is taking every sector forward with her patriotism. The enclave exchange agreement, Bangladesh’s victory in sea boundary dispute, and turning Bangladesh into a lower middle-income country are the examples of the advancement.”

Kamal took part in another such programme with enclave dwellers at Latamari under Lalmonirhat’s Patgram at noon.

He said enclave dwellers, who had been denied many rights for long, would be given priority in all recruitments under his ministry.

“Enclave people will get priority, especially in recruitment in civil posts of the Border Guard Bangladesh,” he added.

The minister said the government had already allocated Tk 610 million for the rehabilitation of the inhabitants of 59 enclaves.

He said the implementation of the Land Boundary Agreement of 1974 had fulfilled another dream of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. 

“The enclave people are now freed.”

Bangladesh and India in June this year exchanged instruments of ratification of the Land Boundary Agreement signed in 1974.