In what may be a major breakthrough on India-Bangladesh border differences, the two countries have agreed to exchange most of the “adverse possession” areas (land just across the Bangladesh border but occupied by Indians, and vice versa) along their border to resolve long-pending disputes.
Some disputes in the Barak Valley are, however, yet to be settled as surveyors of both nations failed to agree.
Mr Shambhu Singh, joint secretary (northeast) in the Union home ministry, who was here recently, told this newspaper that no land in India’s possession would be given to Bangladesh unilaterally, and the exchange of “adverse possession” areas would take place only where both countries came to an agreement.
He noted that such exchanges of land would take place under Article 2 of the 1974 Land Boundary Pact between India and Bangladesh.
He said land surveys had been completed to enable such exchanges in most parts of the international border, and added that maps for this purpose had also been drawn.
Mr Singh pointed out that among the most vulnerable of the “adverse possession” areas were Pyrdwah in Meghalaya and Baraibari, saying that the people who inhabited those areas were forced to live in constant fear.
He said all these problems would be resolved once and for all if the exchange of “adverse possession” land takes place smoothly.
However, disputes in some parts of the Barak Valley are yet to be resolved as the surveyors of both the countries have failed to arrive at an agreement.
Also, security sources in the home ministry revealed that the joint survey by the two countries had failed to reach an agreement on “adverse possession” of 360 acres in Palakhal and 145 acres in Nagaon. The surveyors of both countries met at the Sutarkandi trade centre on July 21 this year, but were unable to arrive at a conclusion.