In 162 enclaves belongs to both Bangladesh and India, the total land area is 24,270.83 acres. In the 51 enclaves of Bangladesh that are inside India, the total land area is of 7,110.20 acres, while in 111 enclaves of India that are located inside Bangladesh, the total land area is 17,158.50 acres.

Due to the political complexities, the inhabitants of these lands fall in such a situation which can be compared to living in jail. The people here had to pass 68 years without getting the justice.

However, a vested group tried to protest against the treaty. They even tried to promote the rumor that the Mujib-India Treaty inked in 1974 was against the interest of country. Based on false allegation against this treaty, the vested group continued their wicked game against Bangabandhu.

The anti-state force supported strongly this vested group. This anti-state force captured the state-power after the tragic demise of Bangabandhu. To remain in state-power, the used to make propaganda against Bangabandhu and India and began to give speech openly against the treaty. Even, they listed India, the long-time friend of Bangladesh, as a foe.

Pakistan, China, Saudi Arabia, who were against the independence of Bangladesh, became their close allies. In addition, the spirit and ideologies of liberation war had become shattered in the country.

After the tragic death of Bangabandhu, his name had been forbidden in Bangladesh Television (BTV) for 21 years. On that period, India has been showcased as the aggressive state. The name of Pakistany Army, who wrecked destruction in 1971, has been regarded as the ‘Occupying Force ‘ (Hanadar Bahini), even in the time of victory day, independence day. But, the authority didn’t disclose which country was the ‘Occupying Force.’ As a result, the issue of enclaves got stuck, even though it was a matter to be solved easily. The neighboring country also lost interest about the matter and they didn’t raise the issue in their parliament. Hence, the transaction got stopped and the prisoned life in the enclaves had lingered indefinitely. The emancipation from this situation took place in the midnight of July 31 in 2015, more specifically on August 1, 2015.

In the month of August, Bangabandhu was martyred at the hands of the opposing forces that were against the exchange of enclaves. At the beginning of that month in 2015, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi's government released people by exchanging enclaves. After the abolition of the enclave, as there entered a chance to breathe freely, it is also indicated to live with dignity as a human being. We are more or less aware of the sufferings of the people in the enclaves, but their progress after liberation was not much discussed. Words of joy and progress do not appear in the media to the extent that words of pain dominate the media. The development that has taken place in the defunct enclave in the last eight years is remarkable. Today the citizens there have come under the scope of enjoying all civil rights.

But before the exchange of enclaves, let alone civil rights, there was no freedom to live as a human being. There were no important institutions like mosques, temples, educational institutions, medical services. There was no paved road, no electricity. Even defecating in a paved toilet was unimaginable.

The enclave was a dark world before 2015. The state has sovereignty over every inch of land, the citizens are in control of the state. It was not so called enclave. There the state had no access to civil life except in the light and air of nature. As a result, they become sanctuaries for criminals. There were no human crimes on land that did not take place in the enclave. If citizens do not commit crimes, criminals from outside states force them to do so. The innocent enclave-residents had no chance of resistance. There was danger in protesting. As a result, they had to compromise.

As the enclaves were not governed by any Bangladesh-Indian state administration, there was a lot of crime. It has been used as a landing station for human trafficking, gold-smugling, motorcycle smuggling in addition to gambling, drug trafficking. In the afternoon, drug addicts used to come there in search of various drugs including Phencidil. There was no trial for murder. The girls were taken away and there was no trial. The land was expropriated and there was no trial. Concealing the real identity of their children, they have provided education in the name of someone from Bangladesh or India. They had to get married the one whose name is in the school register is not given by his father. Such examples were numerous.

Today the people of that enclave are getting justice. They can get admission in the school in the name given by his parents and grow up independently. Landlords are able to buy and sell. Land has been recorded, own name has been established. Bangladesh government has built many government primary schools to develop education in the enclaves. There is a new paved building named Rajmahal High School, which was established in the defunct Garati enclave. The construction work of four-storey building with government allocation is going on. Sayma Wazed Putul Autism School has been established there. Meanwhile, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Alim Madrasa has been made formally.

Educational institutions are also being set up in Panchagarh's Balapara Khagrabari, Beoladanga and Dahala Khagrabari enclaves. In the meantime, two secondary schools have also been made public—Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatun Nesha High School and Sheikh Russell High School. The leaders of the Chitmahal (Enclave) movement established several schools for the spread of education, among which Mofizar Rahman College in Garati and Mainul-Mustafa College in Dashiarchhara are verily notable. In addition, more than a hundred educational institutions including madrasas have been established. Beautiful mosques, temples, martyrs minar (Shaheed Minar) have been built. Two new Vishnu temples have been built at Garati. 100% electrification, along with supply of clean water has been made possible. Honorable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has also constructed half brick-built houses for the homeless there. 98 houses have been handed over in just garati. There are 40 more houses allotted. IT centers, bank-insurance institutions, police outposts have been opened. According to the 2021 calculations, 22 citizens have joined the BGB service from the enclaves of Panchagarh alone. Students are getting the opportunity to study in the universities. Not only that, they are also getting quota for admission. Mahmudul Hasan, son of Golam Mostafa, the leader of Chitmahal Movement, Dashiarchhara, has got the opportunity to study in Dhaka and Rajshahi Universities after completing his studies from Rangpur Cadet College. Instead of being admitted in Dhaka, he was admitted in Rajshahi University in Law department. Job opportunities have been given to those who had the misfortune of obtaining degrees from Bangladesh by hiding their identities. Special importance is being given to technology education in Bangladesh. ICT buildings have been set up in many enclaves so that the defunct enclaves also get the same benefits of technology. There training programs are being conducted to create technical manpower. Two ICT buildings have been set up in Rangpur division. One of these is at Garati in Panchagarh, the other is at Dashyarchara in Kurigram. There has been a huge change in the communications system. The communications and transport have been so much changed that 27 km of roads were paved in the defunct enclave of Panchagarh alone. There are 12 big bridges on those roads, along with numerous small culverts. Same picture is also visible in Dashyarchara. There is a big bridge over the Neelkamal river. Entering Dashyarchara now feels like you have entered a model city.

Many community clinics have been established in enclaves to improve health care. The inhabitants of the enclaves can get treatment all over the country. Enclaves are covered under the social security program of the state. All allowances including pregnant women's nutritional allowance, elderly allowance, widow allowance, child allowance, disabled allowance have now been introduced in the enclaves. Furthermore, these programs are running in enclaves with more importance than many places. Almost 100% of households are covered by some social security program.

There are five freedom fighters in the enclaves of Panchagarh, who participated in the great liberation war of 1971. The freedom fighters of Bangladesh got allowance but before the exchange of enclaves they did not get the benefit. Now they have also come under freedom fighter allowance. Their land was not independent, even though they were active fighters in Bangladesh's independence war. I request the concerned people to consider the liberation movement of the enclaves. The enclaves’ citizens’ diagnosis was correct. Realizing the truth, they composed the slogan of the procession, 'Mukti (emancipation) in the hands of Bangabandhu and Sheikh Hasina’. I look at the current changes and say the enclaves got the advancement from hell to heaven. Sheikh Hasina and Narendra Modi would have received the Nobel Peace Prize because of the peaceful resolution of the enclave if the Nobel givers did not have visionic myopia.

(The writer is a politician and a human rights activist, Ekushey Award winner)