After waiting for 68 years, people stranded inside Bangladesh and India found their identities through the exchange of enclaves between the two countries on July 31, 2015.
It has been seven years since. On the seventh anniversary of the historic event, people living in Dasiarchara, the biggest enclave of Bangladesh, said that their lives have completely changed through various development projects taken up by the government.
A total of 55,000 people received their rights as the citizens of a nation on the day enclaves were exchanged. While 111 Indian enclaves were integrated into Bangladesh, 51 Bangladeshi enclaves were integrated into India simultaneously.
Due to the goodwill of the governments of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Narendra Modi, the enclave exchange agreement signed by Father of The Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Indira Gandhi saw a successful implementation.
Right after the exchange, the Hasina government took up massive development projects to transform Dasiarchara.
The government provided electricity connection to 2,000 families by laying down a 57km electricity network. 26km of roads and five bridges and culverts were paved. Three new government primary schools were built while four other educational institutions saw their inclusion into Monthly Pay Order (MPO).
The government has also built a resource center and three religious institutions in Dasiarchara. Pure drinking water and sanitation systems have been ensured at every house in the area, while irrigation systems in all the agricultural lands have also been made available.
Md Ratul, a resident of the area, said that they don’t have to hide their identities anymore to avail education as the educational institutions established by the government in the area are enabling them to become educated comfortably.
“The current government has taken up various steps to improve the food, communication, education and health sectors of the area, which are rapidly changing the lives of these otherwise backwater people,” said Md Altaf Hossain, another resident of the area.
Fulbari Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Suman Das said that most of the development projects taken by the government have been implemented as of now.
“The development works won’t stop here. Rather, the government will keep on doing whatever it needs to improve the lives of people from Dasiarchara,” said the UNO.
