Indian enclave dwellers in Bangladesh come back home

Kolkata: In pursuance of the India-Bangladesh Land Boundary Agreement, the first batch of 19 families from the erstwhile Indian enclaves in Bangladesh, who had opted to stay in India, on Thursday entered West Bengal's Cooch Behar district.

Sixty-two people, belonging to 19 families, were greeted by the district administration at the international border check post at Changrabandha.

Cooch Behar district magistrate P. Ulaganathan said the families, before their arrival, had been living in Lotamari and Gotamari enclaves in Lalmonirhat district of Bangladesh.

"They are being kept at the Enclave Settlement Camp at Mekhliganj in the district. We are providing all facilities to them. Counters have been put up for biometric registration and opening of bank accounts for them," said Ulaganathan.

According to the district administration, the second batch of people will arrive on November 22.

Around 980 people are likely to come to India and the formalities have to be completed by November 30.

Following the Land Boundary Agreement, Bangladesh and India exchanged 162 adversely-held enclaves on August 1.

Welcoming the families, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee assured her government will take care of them.

"I heartily welcome our brothers and sisters from 'opar bangla' and wish them a very pleasant stay here. Our government will take full care of them," Banerjee said on Facebook.