NHRC notices to Centre, states over charges of exploitation of

The NHRC has issued notices to Home and External Affairs Ministry as well as West Bengal and Assam state governments asking them to enquire into the allegations of exploitation of Indians residing in Indian enclaves of Bangladesh.
In a statement here today, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has said that many of them have allegedly not been included in Census for land compensation, and women are being "captured and sexually exploited".
All the authorities concerned have been given four weeks' time to submit a detailed report in the matter.
"The Commission noted that the "Text of Exchange of Letters on Modalities for Implementation of India-Bangladesh Land Boundary Agreement 1974 and Protocol of 2011 to the Land Boundary Agreement" specify the modalities for implementation of the Land Boundary Agreement of 1974 and Protocol of 2011 to the Land Boundary Agreement," an NHRC statement said.

"The Clause 1(iv) of the letter dated June 6 signed by Foreign Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India and Clause 1(iv) of the letter dated June 6 signed by Foreign Secretary of Government of People's Republic of Bangladesh states that both governments shall facilitate orderly, safe and secure passage to residents of enclaves along with their personal belongings and moveable property to the mainland of India or Bangladesh, as the case may be, including through provision of travel documents.
"Therefore, it is observed that if the allegations of the complainant are true, these incidents amount to violation of not only human rights but also the agreement between the two nations," the Commission said.

According to the complaint, received from the Indian Enclaves People's Committee and Kuchlibari Sangram Committee, represented by Ashwani Kumar Roy, the members of these committees are the affected persons in the Land Boundary Agreement between India and Bangladesh.
The complainant has alleged that most of the residents -- Indians of the Bangladeshi Enclaves in India and Indian Enclaves in Bangladesh -- have not been counted in the Census conducted in the years 2011 and 2015.
"There are 30,000 such persons," the complainant said.