From Our Correspondent
Guwahati: Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi is hopeful that the border disputes with Bangladesh will be resolved through an agreement between the two countries during the forthcoming visit of Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh to the neighbouring nation.
Gogoi who will accompany the PM along with four other chief ministers to Bangladesh, has said that his government was looking forward for a settlement of borer disputes with Bangladesh so that the border fencing work could be completed.
“We have no objection to exchange adversely possessed land and complete demarcation of border with Bangladesh. In fact, India will get back mote land from Bangladesh than the latter gets in case of settlement of the issue over adverse possession of land. However, the final decision in this regard will be taken by Government of India,” Gogoi said.
The border dispute between the two countries is confined to 25 areas along the international border in West Bengal, Tripura, Meghalaya and Assam. India adversely possesses 1165.49 acres of Bangladesh land at 18 points while Bangladesh adversely possesses 1880.81 acres of India’s land at seven points.
In case of Assam, 499.79 acres of state’s land in Dhubri and Karimganj district have been in adverse possession of Bangladesh since 1948. This land may be returned to India by Bangladesh in case of signing of an agreement between the two countries during PM’s visit. Of the total area of land in Assam that is in adverse possession of Bangladesh, 189.06 acres in Golabari in Dhubri district has been under illegal possession of Bangaldesh since 1948. Two other areas of 11.73 acres in Promodenagar Tea Estate and 299 acres in Palatal in Karimgajn district in South Assam has been in possession of Bangladesh since 1965. Besides, there is a dispute between the two countries about an eight kilometer stretch of the border in Karimganj district. There is no adversely possessed Bangladesh land in Assam.
Meanwhile, CM Gogoi’s comment about his government’s willingness to exchange adversely possessed land with Bangladesh has sparked sharp reaction from the Opposition BJP and All Assam Students. State BJP general secretary Pradyut Bora said, “No portion of Indian land should be handed over to Bangladesh at any cost as it will amount to compromising with India’s sovereignty.”
The AASU president Shankar Prasad Rai said it would never allow any portion of Assam land to be handed over to Bangladesh. He said the instead of talking about exchange of land with Bangladesh, Assam government should root for a repatriation pact with Bangladesh so send back illegal Bangladeshi migrants from the state.