AGARTALA / BELONIA, Dec 3 (TIWN): Since India's independence in 1947 and Bangladesh formation in 1971, long standing dispute of Muhuri Char is still hanging in balance without any ray of hope in sight. Indian Parliament on May 7 passed a constitution amendment bill for operationalising the LBA with Bangladesh, 41 years after the accord was signed between then prime minister Indira Gandhi and her Bangladeshi counterpart, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The land swap protocol envisaged transfer of 111 enclaves with a total area of 17,160.63 acres to Bangladesh, while the neighbouring country is to transfer 51 enclaves with an area of 7,110.02 acres to India. A 6.1-km undefined border stretch was demarcated with the bill being passed. The 51 enclaves fall in Indian states of West Bengal, Assam, Tripura and Meghalaya. Under the LBA, the disputed Chandannagar village would merged with the Indian territory while Muhuri Char land in southern Tripura would go to Bangladesh.

In the disputed 64 acres Muhuri Char land, 57 families had been doing cultivation for more than five decades. However due to lack of proper demarcation and  co-ordination between Delhi and Dhaka officials, even after LBA signing, Muhurichar remained in possession of smugglers and thieves, a heaven for contraband, narcotics smuggling.

After LBA agreement was signed by  Modi and Hasina in may 2015,  State Govt & Centre has discussed various issues including the border security problems. Although Tripura has been various times attacked by insurgent groups like NLFT, also threatened by various rebellious groups and robbers but in many sensitive places like Muhurichar, fencing works couldn’t proceed due to disputes.PWD Minister Badal Choudhury while talking to TIWN agreed that it has really become an issue of concern as Belonia Border area is frequently being attacked by robbers, thieves and has become a corridor for smuggling; once the border fencing is done as per Modi Govt.’s wish,  then many Indian lands in Belonia which actually should come under India, have to be handed over to Bangladesh.“CPI-M Govt. supports Manmohon-Hasina deal, not the new demarcation done by the BJP govt. recently.

Choudhury further added that the team which was sent after the BJP Govt. came in power, it took measurement of border areas between India-Bangladesh which was not authentic, as none of the officials of state govt. has been informed when the demarcation was held, said Choudhury.

Choudhury also alleged that the matter has become critical as the central govt. is not paying attention over this issue and  as a result the areas without fencing are creating many unwanted events in border area.

“The Ballamukha area is most notorious due to Bangladesh robbers and smugglers”.“We do not have any problem to finish the  border fencing works, but how can we play with the sentiments of people of Belonia who wants to remain Indian and their all business, livelihood based with the link of India ? ”, asked Choudhury.
However, it’s to be mentioned here that Indo-Bangla border area at Belonia under South Tripura due to the sensitive happenings, has been imposed with section 144 many times as risks in border area are increasing day by day.

In the disputed 64 acres Muhuri Char land, 57 families had been doing cultivation for more than five decades. 
There were also three very old crematories of three different religion groups in the Muhuri Char land of Muhuri river, which flows from Tripura to Bangladesh.
Tripura shares 856 km borders with Bangladesh and eight major rivers including Muhuri and Dhalai flows from the state to the neighbouring country.
But due to the lack of co-operation between State and Central govt., this situationhas become very critical and becomig a regular excuse for not progressing the border fencing over there.
Presently South Tripura Dist.’s many parts are undergoing internal clashes among Bangladeshis and Indians, as robbers from the neighbouring country are entering across border.  

66 years had been passed that Tripura Joined India, still Belonia Ballamukha to Muhuchar area’s people are suffering due to lack of proper fencing.
Minister further concluded by saying, “We have agreed to the land demarcation of Manmohon-Hasina and the fencing which would bring the demarcationin the middle of Muhuri Char".

“We are trying our level-best to solve this issue”, added Choudhury.