Enclave natives to get citizenship of choice

Enclave natives of Bangladesh would be given their choice of citizenship, today’s regular cabinet meeting agreed.

The agreement came when the cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, approved a proposal to ratify land deal with India.

This effectively means that enclave natives inside both India or Bangladesh territory, who have been deprived of citizenship, can choose to be an Indian or Bangladeshi once the deal is sealed.

Home ministry presented the protocol to the agreement between the governments of two countries on the demarcation of the land boundary between Bangladesh and India and related matters.

Cabinet Secretary M Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan told reporters after the meeting that Bangladesh and India enclave natives will get the opportunity to be citizen of country of their choice.

Currently, there are 111 Indian enclaves with over 37,000 people inside Bangladesh territory while 51 Bangladeshi enclaves with over 14,000 natives in the neighbouring country.

The much-awaited land boundary agreement (LBA) will be inked when Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits Dhaka in the upcoming month, the secretary said.

Currently, the demarcation of 6.5 kilometres of land is awaiting while the Tin Bigha Corridor will remain open at all times, he added.