Land Boundary Agreement

Subject: IR

Context:

India-Bangladesh border talks have lessons for Nepal. Despite much more territory being involved, the two countries resolved their border disputes with political dialogue

Concept:

• India and Bangladesh share a 4,096 km land boundary covering West Bengal, Assam, Tripura, Meghalaya and Mizoram. This is largest among the international boundaries that India shares with its neighbours.
• The land boundary between the Indian and then East Pakistan boundary was determined by the Radcliffe Award. However, some disputes came up over this award.
• On May 16 1974 an agreement was signed between India and Bangladesh and it was decided that a solution to the dispute would be found.
• The agreement was ratified by Bangladesh, but India restrained as it involved transfer of territory which required a Constitutional Amendment
• There is problem with the enclaves. There were 111 Indian enclaves in Bangladesh and in Bangladesh there are 51 enclaves.
• This ambiguity has led the life of the residents of these enclaves to misery. They are unable to get the basic government services because they are isolated from their own country by strips of foreign land.
• So 100th constitutional amendment was made to give effect to the acquiring of certain territories by India and transfer of certain other territories to Bangladesh (through the exchange of enclaves and retention of adverse possessions) in pursuance of the Land Boundary Agreement of 1974 and its Protocol of 2011.
• For this purpose, this amendment act amended the provisions relating to the territories of four states (Assam, West Bengal, Meghalaya and Tripura) in the First Schedule of the Constitution.