End of Indo-Bangladesh enclave dispute in sight

Shillong, Jun 16 (UNI) The five-decade-old Indo-Bangladesh enclave problem would end soon as both countries have decided to accept the majority views of the people residing there.

'' Now the joint survey has been going on and I am awaiting the report and after that we will take the decision as per the views of the local people,'' External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said, addressing a news conference here today.

Mr Mukherjee was here in connection with a day long interaction with the civil society about the Look East policy organized by the Public Diplomacy division of the Ministry of External Affairs.

India has 111 enclaves landlocked inside Bangladesh while the latter has 51 such areas inside India. The people of both sides are facing great problem over the last five decades.

''This is for the first time that a joint team has been visiting. Since 1951, we could not reach those enclaves. Bangladesh was not agreeing to a joint inspection so far. It is good that they have agreed to it now and we hope to end the problem soon,'' he said.

On May 28 a 10-member team led by the Indian high commissioner in Bangladesh reached Jalpaiguri to take part in a joint survey of the enclaves of the two countries.

The team entered Bangladesh through Changrabandha, where it was joined by the Bangladeshi delegation for a survey of the Indian enclaves.

Later a similar exercise was carried out in the Bangladeshi enclaves in Cooch Behar and Jalpaiguri districts.

The joint survey was a result of a meeting between Mukherjee and his counterpart Iftekhar Choudhury in Delhi on March 31.

The Indian team also visited the Tinbigha corridor in Cooch Behar and met senior BSF officers there.

UNI