Assam to be 'kept out for now' from land boundary agreement with Bangladesh: Kiren Rijiju

NEW DELHI: Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju has confirmed that Assam will be “kept out for now” from the ambit of the land boundary agreement (LBA) with Bangladesh. Rijiju said there were “lot of protests and problems” in Assam over the LBA. “So, Assam will be kept out of LBA for now. We are moving in that direction. This is beneficial for both countries,” Rijiju told ET.

This officially confirms what ET was first to report, on April 13, that the Modi government was considering the option of keeping Assam out of LBA for now and settling the West Bengal and Meghalaya segments of the Indo-Bangladesh border. This decision also seems to be driven by BJP’s electoral ambitions since the party aims to win the Assam assembly elections. Assam is supposed to give up 268.39 acres to Bangladesh under LBA but does not get any land in return. This has become a big issue in the state, with BJP’s Assam unit too opposing the agreement.

A Constitution amendment bill required for ratifying the boundary agreement is expected to be tabled in Parliament when the budget session reconvenes next week. A cabinet note excluding Assam from the LBA is being prepared in this regard. Parliamentary okay is required for ratifying the boundary agreement. West Bengal is supposed to lose 1957 acres but get 2,398 acres while Meghalaya will lose 41 acres and get 250 acres in return from Bangladesh.