Residents of some 100 former Indian enclaves voted for the first time as citizens of Bangladesh on Monday, They cast their ballot in local body polls.
Elections to 380 local bodies across the country were held. About 14,000 new voters signed up to vote in the 100 former enclaves, which are situated in the northern districts of Panchagarh, Lalmonirhat and Kurigram, said the Election Commission Secretariat.
Under an agreement signed in 1974, India gave up 111 enclaves — measuring 17,160 acres — to Bangladesh and received 51 enclaves spread over 7,110 acres, thus ending decades of suffering and isolation of people living in these areas.
Landmark pactThe enclaves were merged with mainland Bangladesh on July 31, 2015, following the landmark ratification of the land boundary agreement by the Indian Parliament. Some 35,535 people were granted Bangladeshi citizenship as part of the deal.
