
India, Bangladesh land-swap: New hope, new identity for 51,000 people
It was literally freedom at midnight. Ending nearly seven decades of living in limbo and darkness of statelessness, it was time for thousands of people living on tiny islands of land to celebrate as India and Bangladesh swapped enclaves, bringing to an end the 68-year-old boundary dispute.
The formal swapping of enclaves promises to usher in a new life of hope and dignity for around 51,000 people living in 162 enclaves across both countries. Both countries have exchanged 162 enclaves, with 51 from the Indian side and 111 from the Bangladesh side. It is estimated that there are more than 37,000 people in the Indian enclaves inside Bangladesh and more than 14,000 people in Bangladeshi enclaves in India. The people in these enclaves have been deprived of education, healthcare, citizenship, electricity. In terms of the area to be exchanged between both countries as per the agreement is 17,160.63 acres returned to Bangladesh and 2267.68 acres returned to India.
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