RS passes historic bill for exchange of territory with Bangladesh

NEW DELHI: The Rajya Sabha on Wednesday unanimously passed a historic constitutional amendment bill to operationalise the Land Boundary Agreement (LBA) with Bangladesh that provides for exchange of territories to settle the 41-year border issue.

The Constitution ( 119th) Amendment Bill, which will allow the operationalisation of the 1974 India-Bangladesh LBA, was passed with full support from 181 members. Lok Sabha will take up the bill on Thursday.

“This is a historic situation. We are going to implement the agreement after 41 years. I am happy that everyone supported the bill,” said external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj. On BJP’s opposition to the measure during UPA’s tenure, she said, “Earlier we had opposed it. We were told to include Assam, which has been done.” She said the Union home ministry will be the nodal ministry for implementing it. “We are aware of the complexities involved in implementation of the agreement. The earlier we implement (the agreement), sooner we reap the benefits,” she said.

The bill aims at giving effect to the acquiring of territories by India and transfer of territories to Bangladesh through retaining of adverse possession and exchange of enclaves in pursuance of the agreement of 1974. The territories in Assam, West Bengal, Tripura and Meghalaya come under the ambit of the bill. Noting that the government will ensure Indians moving to Bangladesh would enjoy “dignified life”, she said there would not be any “demographic change or exchange” and people from either side can avail citizenship.

As far as Assam is concerned, India will be getting 470 acres of land from the neighbouring country, while 268 acres would go to Bangladesh, she added.