India's nod to Mujib-Indira accord could resolve 90pc border problems : Babar
Unb, Lalmonirhat
State Minister for Home Affairs Lutfozzaman Babar yesterday said if Indian Parliament had ratified the 1974 Mujib-Indira accord, 90 percent problems related to border between the two next-door neighbours would have been resolved."Enclave problem is one that has been hanging over for a long time, which is being tried to be resolved through discussion at different levels between Bangladesh and Indian governments," he told his audience from both sides of the divide. He was talking to different media of Bangladesh and India at Tinbigha Corridor across the border, some 94 kilometers from this district headquarters. On his arrival at Tinbigha on the Indian side at noon, he was received by DIG of Jalpaiguri Sector of the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) Harish Kumar. He took a guard of honour of BSF and exchanged greetings with officials of the Indian border guards. Talking to journalists of both the countries, he said Bangladesh has discussed Tinbigha Corridor problem with India for long time. Later, he visited Dahagram-Angarpota enclave and attended a public meeting at Bongerbari Primary School ground in the Bangladesh locality landlocked with Indian territories. The corridor is the only gateway to the mainland for the frontiersmen. The inhabitants of Dahagram-Angarpota apprised him of their various problems and needs, including electrification, round-the-clock access to the enclave from mainland through the Tinbigha corridor and land registration. Babar assured them of resolving the land-registration problem. He said his ministry will continue discussion with his Indian counterpart and through diplomatic channel for 24-hour movement through the Tinbigha passage. "As our Prime Minister Khaleda Zia is the sitting Saarc Chairman. I shall request her to discuss the matter with India," said he said. Under an Indo-Bangladesh accord, the people of the enclave have been granted limited movement crossing over the corridor. Earlier, Babar along with Director General of the paramilitary Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) Major General Muhammad Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, flew in Patgram helipad by a helicopter at about 11:00am. Rangpur BDR Sector Commander Col Lutfur Rahman received the state minister. Later, he visited Panbari Border Outpost (BOP) where 19 BDR Battalion Commander Lt Col Shawkat Akhter received him.
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