Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was leaving for a day’s trip to Dhaka where India and Bangladesh would sign the historic land boundary agreement in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bangla counterpart Sheikh Hasina.
Banerjee, who was leaving for Dhaka a day before Modi and would return a day before he resturns on Friday said, “I am going to Dhaka for a day to witness the signing of the historic land Boundary Agreement which was long overdue and is a great necessity. Many Indians in Bangladesh and Bangladeshis in India who were forced to live in the chit mahals (scattered enclaves) inside the two countries were suffering for the past 56 years or more.”
When asked to comment on whether Teesta would be on the agenda she said “that is not in the list” adding “Bengal is prepared to welcome the thousands of Indians who would come back to this country after the accord.”
As a result of the agreement India will cede 17,160 acres of chit mahal to Bangladesh and take 7,110 acres of chit mahal that were inside the Indian borders. A headcount of those residing in the chit mahals had shown that 37,334 Indians were residing in the enclaves inside Bangladesh and 14,215 Bangladeshis were in the enclaves inside India.