NEW DELHI: India and Bangladesh declared an agreement providing for rights of passage for Bangladesh from June 26 through the Tin Bigha area.
The understanding on the modalities of the implementation of the terms of lease in this regard was arrived at through an exchange of letters. External Affairs Minister Madhavsinh Solanki told Parliament in a sue motu statement.
This marks the resolution of an issue that had become the subject of political controversy and court battles in India.
Solanki said the lease was being implemented after all due process of law had been completed in India.
Solanki said that in putting into effect the Tin Bigha lease India was fulfilling an international commitment.
He said the resolution of the question symbolized about all the will of the people of India to live together with Bangladesh in amity and good neighborliness.
“Given time and goodwill the Tin Bigha corridor which unfortunately generated much controversy and tension in the past will tum into a crossroad of friendship between India and Bangladesh” he said. Solanki recalled that the terms of the lease had been worked out through the exchange of letters between the foreign ministers of the two countries on Oct 7 1982.
The Indo-Bangladesh Land Boundary Agreement signed in 1974 had provided for leasing by India to Bangladesh an area of 178 meiersby85metersnear Tin Bigha to enable that country to have access to Dahagram and Angarpota.
“This was part of a package which allowed India to retain the southern half of South Berubari Union No.12-and adjacent enclaves and which allowed Bangladesh to retain the Dahagram and Angarpota enclaves.
The agreement of 1982 clearly stipulated that his sovereignty over the area would continue to vest in India.
Solanki said the recent understanding between the two governments had been worked out within this and other parameters of the 1982 agreement.
Article extracted from this publication >> April 10, 1992
