Tale of Five Indian Hamlets
In the ongoing dispute around the India Bangladesh international border, five Indian hamlets still remain in Bangladesh.
Nautaridebottar, Paranigram, Kajaldighi, Chilahati and Barashashi villages in the Eastern Indian State of West Bengal. These International Border Villages (IBV)s located in Jalpaiguri district, are on the India-Bangladesh International Border (IBIB).
The History
At the time of Partition in 1947, India moved these five IBV of South Berubari on the IBIB, but from the years, 1959 to 1974 there was a “movement” to demand their inclusion in India.
After the Liberation War, Bangladesh gained independence on 26th March, 1971, and the historic Land Boundary Agreement between India and Bangladesh, 16th May, 1974 (shortly say – LBA) was created. It was signed by Indira Gandhi, Prime Minster, Government Of The Republic Of India and Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Prime Minister, Government Of The People’s Republic Of Bangladesh, at a ceremony in the capital of India, New Delhi. During the demarcation of the international boundary between India and Bangladesh, it is seen that those five IBVs were placed in the map of Bangladesh.
However, in 1989 it was understood that those five Indian hamlets were not shown in the map of India despite being within the Indian mainland. As a result, the people of those five IBVs faced deep problems in collecting land rent, selling land, and implementing various important government schemes as well as projects.
Since then, 2015, the two neighbouring nations exchanged their lands and land in adverse possessions. Even today, the land survey of those international border hamlets has not been completed. Surprisingly, the people living in those five Indian hamlets faced a peculiar problem since 6th June, 2015 – these Indians are either called or branded “Bangladeshi.”
Locals Remember
Commenting on this situation, Ratan Roy, a Chilahati IBV resident claimed, “We are citizens of India because we have Voter or Electoral Card, Aadhaar Card, Permanent Account Number (PAN) Card, we have everything. Although, we are not on the map of India. We have no land documents and evidence. So, we don’t have land rights and that’s why we want land rights. I want to see in my last life that we are on the map of India. Our only wish is that we can stay in India.”
The inhabitants of this IBV, Berubari alleged that the two countries gave “legal recognition” to the five IBV of South Berubari in the map of India, while maintaining the status quo like exchange of enclaves.
Other inhabitants of another international border hamlet, Moringa Para, Laxman Roy and Mukul Roy, pointed out, “Although, we are in India, we are not in the map of India. We are in Bangladesh. We’re living here but there are no land documents at all. In a word, the Indian West Bengal State Government’s Land & Land Reforms And Refugee Relief And Rehabilitation Department (LALRARRARD) has stopped registering our land. Also, the ‘mutation’ of our land has stopped. Thus, most of our hamlet people don’t have the land or land right in our name. Because this place is not yet included in the map of India. Land possession is bought and sold on judicial stamp paper. I don’t know whether the land papers or documents will be made in our name at all. And that’s why I can’t buy and sell land ’til today.”
A similar thing was mentioned by Gobinda Roy, who lives in IBV Chilahati that lies on the IBIB. He became Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) of Jalpaiguri Sadar Vidhan Sabha (that is, Assembly Constituency) in Indian West Bengal State Assembly in 2001 and belongs to an Indian national political party, All India Forward Block (AIFB) in 2001.
He stated, “The population of those five IBVs is about 10,000. There are a total of six polling stations for 8,000 voters in those international border settlements. He stated, “My birthplace is in IBV, Daker-Kamat. Even today people here do not have land papers. Around 10,000 people live in these five Indian hamlets and about 8,000 electors. Not only are the people here not getting the benefits of the Indian West Bengal State Government’s Krishak Bandhu scheme, but also the benefits of the Indian Central Government’s Kisan Nidhi Samman scheme, et cetera. Survey work should be completed on an urgent basis. We approached everyone including the aforesaid state’s Jalpaiguri district Magistrate, Block Land Revenue Officer. But, they don’t have the staff to do the survey. And so, we have made a special arrangement and demanded to survey the land as soon as possible. Nevertheless, even after eight years, we have seen no action from the Indian state or central governments.”
Supporting the facts, Akhil Roy, a resident of Barashashi stated, “What our local political leader has said is entirely true. The department are unable to figure out and to fix as to whom they will pay “compensation or recompense” as the lands are in the name of our ancestors and not ours. Because of this hitch, we don’t get benefits like annual financial assistance, subsidy on fertilisers and crop insurance from the Indian West Bengal State Government as well as the Indian Central Government unlike other peasants.”
Land Survey Needed For Porous Border
Lack of a land survey is not the only problem. The area is also completely porous. Due to the lack of International Barbed Wire Border Fences (IBWBF)s, there are also thefts and other anti-social activities going on. So locals say a border fence for those five Indian IBVs is also very crucial.
Supporting the facts Jagadish Roy, a dweller of IBV, Moringa Para emphasized, “There is no IBWBF in our area. Burglary, snatching, stealing like activities are rampant due to the absence of IBWBF. Barring this, International Border Guard, Border Security Force of India (BSFI) does not allow us to bring vegetables from our lands, which have fallen outside of the IBWBF, that is No-man’s Land area, in the morning. As a result, we cannot take the produce of our land to the markets. We want the IBWBF erected as soon as possible for us and BSFI.”
Shaktipada Roy of IBV, Moringa Para similarly revealed, “At the zero-line, the international border pillars have been already erected and now only if the barbed wire border fence is done, then we can sleep peacefully. And until it happens, we must stay awake in the cowshed. Now-a-days, it is becoming a huge problem that after working in the field all day, we are staying to awake at night to protect our cows, et cetera. Chairs, benches, clothes, bicycles, cows, and goats are taken from us as well as neighboring villages too.”
Similarly, a Prakton Gram Panchayat Prodhan (that is, former head of the village panchayat) of Dakshin Berubari pointed out, “Look, our IBVs are very much insecure. Reason : There is no IBWBF throughout around 15-kilometres to 17-kilometres at this international boundary, which passes along these IBVs. Furthermore, LALRARRARD sought lands from them would be handed over to the BSFI and the Indian Central Public Works Department (ICPWD) to construct roads, install International Border Outpost (IBOP)s and erect IBWBFs on a few areas.”
In this regard, the relevant Indian government officials including the District Magistrate (DM) Shama Parveen informed, “We have already looked into/investigate the matter and have also informed the higher authorities too for seeking approval for a land survey of those five Indian hamlets. We hope a proper survey will be conducted to identify the land so that this complex issue is solved as soon as possible.”
So, at this moment, the people of these five Indian hamlets are worried, and wondering whether they will be able to see their hamlets included in the map of India at all or even as a part of India, while they are alive? They also wonder if there will be a permanent solution to this situation at all.
References
- Adverse Possessions Cause India-Bangladesh Boundary Disputes By Shib Shankar Chatterjee, September 30, 2011, published in newsblaze.com.
https://newsblaze.com/world/south-asia/adverse-possessions-cause-india-bangladesh-boundary-disputes_21558/ - Inhabitants of Indian Enclaves Often Oppressed, Neglected and Exploited By Shib Shankar Chatterjee, September 2, 2011, , published in newsblaze.com.
https://newsblaze.com/world/south-asia/inhabitants-of-indian-enclaves-often-oppressed-neglected-and-exploited_21041/ - Land Boundary Agreement, Ministry Of External Affairs, Government Of The Republic Of India.
https://www.mea.gov.in/Uploads/PublicationDocs/24529_LBA_MEA_Booklet_final.pdf
