Bangladeshi landowners are set to regain around 200 acres of land previously lost to India due to the erosion of the Padma River along the Daulatpur border in Kushtia, reports UNB.
A joint decision to resurvey the disputed land and return it to the rightful owners was reached in a meeting held between senior officials of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and India's Border Security Force (BSF) on Sunday.
The land in question, located in the Challishpara area of Ramkrishnapur union in Daulatpur upazila, has been under dispute due to shifts in the Padma River's course and natural disasters, which disorganised international boundary pillars over a stretch of three kilometers. The problem was first identified in a survey conducted earlier this year.
Lieutenant Colonel M Mahbub Murshed Rahman, Commander of BGB's 47th Battalion, confirmed the matter. "It has been agreed to conduct a resurvey of the disputed land and return it to the rightful owners."
During the survey on February 10, it was revealed that about 200 acres of Bangladeshi land had ended up inside Indian territory, and approximately 40 acres of Indian land in Bangladesh territory. Both countries are now preparing to officially correct the boundaries in October.
Sunday's meeting, held at the border pillar 152/7-S of Jamalpur Border Outpost in Mahishkundi, Daulatpur, also addressed broader issues such as preventing border killings and tackling drug trafficking. The Bangladeshi delegation was led by Lt. Col. Rahman, while Commandant Vikram Dev Singh of the Rowshanbagh Battalion represented BSF.
Lt Col Rahman emphasized that until the resurvey is complete, no one will be allowed to utilize the disputed land. He also conveyed Bangladesh's strong protest against recent border killings, urging BSF to refrain from detaining innocent citizens and prevent illegal cross-border activities, particularly in the lead-up to the Durga Puja.
Bd-pratidin English/Tanvir Raihan
