RANGPUR, June 13, 2019 (BSS) – The multidimensional assistance and involvement of the government for mainstreaming thousands of people in erstwhile enclaves saw their standard of their living largely improved in the past four years.
The ambition of people living in all 111 former enclaves in Bangladesh have become fulfilled creating hopes for their future generations since exchange of all 162 closed communes, including 111 to Bangladesh and 51 to India on August 1 in 2015.
Talking to BSS, General Secretary of defunct India-Bangladesh Enclave Exchanging Coordination Committee Md. Golam Mostafa said erstwhile enclave people are happy of getting more than expectation in only four years.
“The living standard of 37,000 people has improved following their mainstreaming through massive uplifts conducted by the government spending Taka 200 crore,” he said.
“It took over four decades to witness similar progress for people living in the mainland. Whereas, we reached same height in four years for sincere efforts of the government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina,” Mostafa added.
Additional Divisional Commissioner (General) Md. Zakir Hossain said the government already implemented huge developments in former enclaves after implementation of the historic Land Boundary Agreement (LBA) as per Mujib-Indira Accord of 1974.
“Soon after exchanging 162 enclaves between Bangladesh and India on August 1, 2015, Bangladesh government allocated Taka 200 crore when government departments, NGOs and other organisations began implementing massive uplifts,” he said.
Every family of all former enclaves, including 12 in Kurigram, 59 in Lalmonirhat, four in Nilphamari and 36 in Panchagarh have got electricity, sanitation, pure drinking water and other civic facilities like in mainland.
“Besides, trainings, loans, assistance and other facilities were provided to unemployed male and female youths for income generations and allowances to widows, older citizens, disabled people and sub-stipends to female students,” Hossain added.
Additional Director of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) for Rangpur Region Muhammad Ali said DAE completed implementation of inclusive programmes spending 1.75 crore to modernise agriculture in former enclaves.
Superintending Engineer of Bangladesh Rural Electrification Bayard (REB) at its Rangpur Zonal Office Engineer Manabendra Lal Mustafi REB has reached electricity to every house in all former enclaves.
“By virtue of electrification, many power-run small scale cottage industries, factories and enterprises are being set up in former enclaves creating employments for male and female youths paving way for to improve their living standard,” Mustafi added.
Talking to BSS, dwellers of different former enclaves expressed pleasure and gratitude to Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Indian counterpart Naredra Modi for implementing the LBA around four years ago.
Abdul Khaleque of Kalirhat area in Dashiarchhara, the biggest former enclave of Bangladesh in Kurigram, said former enclave people have got life anew after remaining deprived like stateless citizens for the previous 68 years till August 1, 2015.
“It seems amazing to achieve citizenship, human rights, smart cards, voting rights, roads, bridges, culverts, educational institutions, assistance under social safety-net programmes and everything within only four year,” he added.
Ali Haider of Kamalpur area in Dashiarchhara said they are very happy getting house, hygienic sanitation, e-services and health services at their doorsteps.
Students Moushumi of class eight and Rabeya of class ten at Dashiarchhara Junior Girls’ High School said they are happy now to classes in their own school.
Housewife Aklima of Dashiarchhara said she feels herself as a complete human being in her own country and thanked Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for speeding up developments in former enclaves.
Former Chairman of erstwhile Garati enclave in Panchagarh Mofizar Rahman said all 8,504 houses have got electricity, 32 schools, colleges and madrashas have been set up along with massive infrastructural developments in all former 36 enclaves there.
A student of class nine of Rajmahal High School Rokeya Begum at former Garati enclave in Panchagarh said local girls are happily going to school riding on bicycles given by the government.
They former enclave dwellers said they are grateful to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman for liberating Bangladesh in 1971 and to his able daughter Sheikh Hasina for giving them freedom.