Beware the pitfalls of land swap deal with Bangladesh

Parliament has approved the land swap deal to strengthen the country’s relationship with Bangladesh.

Delhi has also announced a mammoth ₹3,008-crore package to West Bengal to improve infrastructure in Bangladeshi enclaves in India — that will now be a part of the country — and rehabilitate the population that migrated from Indian enclaves in Bangladesh.

But unless implemented with caution, the rehabilitation exercise may give rise to fresh political controversies between the two nations. Worse, it might be misused by the Islamic hardliners for cross-border terrorism, cautions Diptiman Sengupta Chief Coordinator of Bharat Bangladesh Enclave Exchange Coordination Committee (BBEECC).

BBEECC has been the leading voice in both the nations for ratification of the Land Boundary Agreement (LBA) and ending the human tragedy at Muslim majority 162 enclaves of either nation on both sides of the international border passing through Cooch Behar district of West Bengal.

According to Sengupta, migration to either country should be allowed after due scrutiny of criminal background of the persons concerned.

According to a joint census conducted by the two nations with the help of BBEECC in July 2011, all residents of Bangladeshi enclaves wanted Indian citizenship. But, 149 families (743 people out of a total of 37,000) in Indian enclaves in Bangladesh wanted to migrate to India.

Sengupta said there are at least three notorious activists of Islamic hardliner Jaamat-e-Islami, holed up in Indian enclaves in Bangladesh. They are now interested to take advantage of the rehabilitation scheme to migrate to India to avoid police action in Bangladesh.

Jaamat worked for Pakistani army during the Bangladesh’s liberation war and is under pressure ever since Hasina government initiated trial of war criminals. Known for unleashing terror on Hindu minorities; the outfit is barred from participating in polls since 2013.

“There are numerous cases against these people in Kurigram and Patagram police station of Bangladesh for committing heinous crimes. Bangladesh police couldn’t act because they holed up in Indian enclaves. Opening doors to these people will be a source of future bitterness between the two nations,” he said.

Islamic terror outfits apart, Sengupta also warns of some smugglers of narcotics and contraband who may also like to take advantage of this treaty.

Meanwhile, West Bengal government started preparations to receive 20,000 people (out of 37,000) migrating from 101 Indian enclaves in Bangladesh. Sengupta claims the estimates lack factual evidence. “Ideally, the two countries should now engage in a joint exercise to asses the on-ground situation and finalise the list of those interested to migrate. Till then we should follow the 2011 census benchmarks,” he said.

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