RANGPUR, Sept 4, 2018 (BSS) – Land ownership of the people living in former enclaves of Panchagarh made ensure today with handing over of the land record and map documents to the district administration.
Dinajpur Zonal Settlement Officer Shamsul Azam handed over the documents at a function to Executive Magistrate of Panchagarh Subal Chakma, who received those on behalf of the Panchagarh district administration.
With handing over of land documents, the long-cherished dream of the former enclave people fulfilled following the historical diplomatic achievement of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in exchanging the enclaves three years back with India.
As per the historic Land Boundary Agreement (LBA) under the Mujib-Indira Accord of 1974, the Bangladesh and India swapped control of 162 enclaves on August 1, 2015, of which 51 went to India.
On the occasion, Shamsul Azam said there are 36 erstwhile enclaves in Panchagarh with 11,962.78 acres of land mapped in 26,447 ‘Khatians’ located in 19 ‘Mouzas’ of Sadar, Debiganj and Boda upazilas of the sub-Himalayan district.
“The process of land survey began on February 6, 2016 and final documents of the land records and maps were prepared by the Land Record and Survey Department after completing various formalities,” he said.
Assistant Settlement Officer of Boda Upazila Mafizur Rahman said, “The Land Record and Survey Department started land survey activity in light of the agreement singed between foreign secretaries of the two neighbouring countries on June 6, 2015.
Shamsul Azam said, “The land survey of former enclaves was completed in the fastest possible time with intense efforts of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina before handing over the prepared documents of land records and maps today.”
“It was a challenge for the Land Record and Survey Department to conduct land survey and prepare records and maps of former enclaves as land ownership was the big issue while exchanging enclaves. We have finished the land ownership process fairly,” he said.
Talking to BSS, former Chairman of erstwhile Garati enclave in Panchagarh Mofizar Rahman expressed deep gratitude to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on behalf of former enclave people of Panchagarh for quickly ensuring the land ownership process.
He also thanked her for conducting massive developments in all former 36 enclaves of Panchagarh like the others in Kurigram, Lalmonirhat and Nilphamari in last three years giving the people living there new life side by side with ensuring their land ownership.