From Our Correspondent
Guwahati: Unfazed by the agitation vociferous protests by opposition political parties (AGP and BJP) and All Assam Students Union accusing the Government of India of handing over Assam’s land to Bangladesh, chief minister Tarun Gogoi on Friday said the pact would go a long way in improving bi-lateral relations besides facilitating better border management thereby help checking infiltration attempts.
There are as many as 25 points along the 4,156-km boundary, of which India adversely possesses 1,165.49 acres of Bangladesh land, while Bangladesh possesses 1,880.81 acres on the Indian side.
Gogoi clarified that as per the pact Bangladesh would get 193 acres of adversely possessed land at Boroibari in Mankachar sector of Dhubri district and 74.5 acres land out of total 455 acres in Pallathal Tea Estate in Karimganj district. “The Government of India has rejected Bangladesh’s claim over 145 acres of adversely possessed land at Naygaon in Karimganj district and they have accepted it,” Gogoi said. “In case of 714 acres undemarcated area in Latitila-Dumabari in Karimganj district, dispute has been resolved regarding over 3 kilometer stretch of unfenced border and now Bangladesh will get only 90 acres of the area. Twenty-five India families were holding land in that area, but they left during 1965 Pakistan was (during East Pakistan days) and they don’t want to go back and want compensation,” Gogoi said adding that in total Bangladesh would get 357.4 acres of land in Assam sector.
Summing up the entire land pact Gogoi said while Bangladesh would get total 357.4 acres of land in Assam areas, India stands to gain total 1240 acres. He said the land pact now had to be ratified by both the Houses of the Parliament.