Dahagram–Angarpota is a Bangladeshi
enclave
An enclave is a territory that is entirely surrounded by the territory of only one other state or entity. An enclave can be an independent territory or part of a larger one. Enclaves may also exist within territorial waters. ''Enclave'' is so ...
in India about away from the border of Bangladesh.
It had a population of 17,000 people in 2014.
Dahagram–Angarpota was the second-largest enclave and the largest Bangladeshi enclave among historical
Indo-Bangladesh enclaves. It is connected to mainland Bangladesh by the
Tin Bigha Corridor, which is situated in
Patgram Upazila of
Lamonirhat district. It is surrounded by
Cooch Behar district
Cooch Behar district (), also known as Koch Bihar district, is one of the List of districts of West Bengal, 23 districts of the state of West Bengal in India. The district is the part of Jalpaiguri division, Jalpaiguri Division. Cooch Behar ci ...
of India's West Bengal state. The
Teesta river
Teesta River is a long river that rises in the Pauhunri Mountain of eastern Himalayas, flows through the Indian states of Sikkim and West Bengal and subsequently enters Bangladesh through Rangpur division. In Bangladesh, it merges with Jamu ...
flows on its western side.
History
In 1954 Pakistan and India signed a treaty over the Dahagram–Angarpota and Berubari enclaves. Dahagram–Angarpota, according to the treaty, was meant to go to Pakistan while Berubari was to be divided between India and Pakistan, North Berubari going to India and South Berubari to Pakistan. The treaty was not ratified as it faced legal challenges in India. In 1971 Bangladesh became
independent
Independent or Independents may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups
* Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in Pennsylvania, United States
* Independentes (English: Independents), a Portuguese artist ...
from Pakistan. Bangladesh and India proceeded to sign a new treaty.
The
1974 Indira-Mujib pact was signed which protected the status of Dahagram–Angarpota and in return Bangladesh gave India the whole of Berubari village. This was challenged in Bangladeshi courts but it was resolved quickly and the treaty ratified in 1974.
The treaty provided Bangladesh with the
Tin Bigha Corridor that connected the enclave with mainland Bangladesh. The corridor started functioning in 1992 when it was open for a few hours every day. Since 2011 the corridor has been open for 23 hours a day.
The corridor is closed for one hour every day so that the
Border Security Force of India can raise the
Indian flag in the corridor. BSF controls the corridor and the gates. The area has seen limited development through the opening of a clinic, school, and market.
Demographics
Dahagram Union had a population of 10,040 as per the 2011 census, living in two villages: Dahagram and Angarpota. Nearly the entire population is Muslim, with a religious minority of 56 Hindus.
See also
*
Bangladesh–India border
The Bangladesh–India border, known locally as the Radcliffe line, is an international boundary, international border running between the republics of Bangladesh and India. Six Divisions of Bangladesh, Bangladeshi divisions and five States and ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dahagram-Angarpota
Geography of Bangladesh
Bangladesh–India border
Enclaves and exclaves