Dhaka surprised by reports in Indian media

Dhaka is surprised at the Indian media reports that claimed New Delhi had decided to introduce a major change in the Land Boundary Agreement with Bangladesh, keeping Assam out of the purview of the pact.

Officials at the foreign ministry said though they had not yet received any official communication from New Delhi on its plan to bring changes in the LBA, “they are worried as the Indian plan may once again put the LBA into uncertainty”.

Indian media reported that BJP brass considers Assam that goes to election next year a winning prospect, and these election calculations may result in delinking Assam from the LBA with Bangladesh for now.

A draft Cabinet note is being prepared keeping delinking Assam from the pact following a directive of the top government functionaries.

As agreed upon through several rounds of negotiations, Assam is set to lose land -- around 268 acres -- if the LBA is ratified. Assam giving up land is part of settling a disputed 6.5 km stretch that is been with Bangladesh since partition.

Under the transfer of areas in adverse possession, India will receive 2,777 acres of land and will transfer 2,267 acres of land to Bangladesh through implementation of the 2011 protocol. It seems Bangladesh will lose around 510 acres of land.

As with the enclaves, India will receive 51 Bangladeshi enclaves spread over of 7,110 acres of land while Bangladesh will get 111 Indian enclaves spread over 17,158 acres of land.

Following the exchange, Bangladesh will gain 10,048 acres of land from India.

Talking to The Daily Star yesterday, a senior official at the foreign ministry termed the Indian plan as reported by the media “ridiculous” and “imaginary”.

Any change to the deal at this stage would not be possible because the two countries have signed agreement, finalised demarcation, signed and exchanged the strip maps, which fully described transfer of lands, said the official, preferring anonymity.

Asked whether India can unilaterally bring any changes, he said it was not possible to bring any change by India alone as it would then require fresh negotiation, resign the changed deal, change of strip maps etc, which are highly complex.

Moreover, he said why Bangladesh would accept the New Delhi's new plan to delink Assam for petty politics for a single state out of four.

He questioned if Assam is excluded, then what about three other states, especially the West Bengal. “Will they not ask to delink them as they will also lose and gain in land swap deal?”

After the media reports in India, a joint secretary of the Indian government on Wednesday briefed a select group of journalists in New Delhi when he further discussed the government design.

But he declined to be quoted, a highly placed diplomatic source in New Delhi told The Daily Star yesterday.