India, Bangladesh kick off land swap

India and Bangladesh kicked off the process of swapping land on Saturday during which 14,215 residents of the 37 Bangladeshi enclaves in India are becoming Indians, said officials.

The two countries are implementing the Land Boundary Agreement signed during the visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Dakha last month.

The issue was solved 68 years after India's independence. Bangladesh used to be part of Pakistan and gained independence in 1975.

There will be a notification from the Indian government recognizing the residents of newly embraced enclaves as Indian citizens, while the India's election commission will decide whether to go for a revision or a normal survey to add their names in the voters' list in the local legislative elections in the state of West Bengal.

The administration will work as quickly as possible to provide all facilities to the new citizens, including addresses, water and electricity, said officials.

Land will be detected in their holdings while identity cards will be issued to them within six months.

Up to the end of October, members of the Indian enclaves will cross the border and take a look at the area where they would be relocated, before "physical exchange" of enclave dwellers starts in November, said officials.

Under this agreement, which was ratified on June 6, 2015 by the Indian parliament, India will obtain 51 Bangladeshi enclaves in the Indian mainland, while Bangladesh will get 111 Indian enclaves in the Bangladeshi mainland.

The enclave residents are to be allowed to either reside at their present location or move to the country of their choice. Endi