The concept of enclaves is not new to Indian history, Numerous Princely States such as Indore, Tonk, Baroda, Gwalior, Sangli etc. had their enclaves spread out in the neighbouring States as well. Even today, the Union Territory of Puducherry has its enclaves in Andhra Pradesh (Yanam), Kerala (Mahe) and Tamil Nadu (Puducherry and Karaikal) and the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli's Dadra is a tiny enclave Valsad district of Gujarat. Even outside India, tiny enclaves, such that of Baarle-Hertog (Belgian enclaves in Netherlands), Međurečje (Bosnian enclave in Serbia), Campione d'Italia (Italian enclave in Switzerland), Barak (Kyrgyz enclave in Uzbekistan) etc. still exist, status of whose are yet to be resolved. These geographical anomalies provide a rich outburst of cultural diffusion and political controversies, which varies from being tone-deaf to warlike situations. But there was one such border enclaves cluster that was far more horrifying and inhumane than others, the Indo-Bangladeshi 'Chhitmahals' or 'Pasha' - between West Bengal of India and Rangpur state of Bangladesh.
Bengal's partition was far more complicated than that of Punjab in the west. While Punjab's division was bathed in blood, leading to a never-ending trauma to generations to come, Bengal's political administration got the wrath of extreme complications, something that was dealt only a few years ago. The original plan to partition Bengal was different to what actually happened. Dinajpur, Malda, Murshidabad, Nadia, portions of 24 Parganas, and parts of Assam near Sylhet was supposed to annex to Pakistan, while Khulna and Chittagong Hill Tracts were supposed to transfer to India. This would have dwarfed the Indian side of Bengal into a much smaller state. Hence, the final transfer got partitioning of Dinajpur, Malda, Nadia and Jessore, while the whole of Khulna, Sylhet and Chittagong came to Pakistan. But one district bore the repercussions of partition the worst way - Cooch Behar.
Cooch Behar was a Princely State which was granted the status by the East India Company back in 1773. It became part of the Indian Union in 1949 and was later absorbed in West Bengal state. But the enclave problem wasn't something that occurred out of the blue and the year 1947 is not to be blamed for this mayhem. The story goes back to the Mughal era when there was a dispute between the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb and the resistance it was facing from the warring clans of the Koch kings that made Mughal enclaves in the neighbouring districts around the Koch kingdom. That enclave retained its status even during the British era that continued till after independence. These enclaves were known locally as 'Chhitmahals' and somehow the English administration didn't bother much to resolve it while they were here. But these Chhitmahals did cause identity crisis to a varying degree, whose gravity was felt especially after the partition. 1947 already had a conflicting take on identities for millions, imagine how confusing it would be for people living in these Chhitmahal enclaves.
Because of partition, there were more than 100 Indian enclaves in East Pakistan (later, Bangladesh) and some 51 Pakistani enclaves in West Bengal. These stateless villagers had to fight to get citizenship and had been victim of harassment for decades. Alleged with lack of proper paperwork and documentation, that too with no fault of their own, troubled these villagers for getting a proper validation of their identities. Imagine, being restricted to simply a couple of kilometres and any inch beyond that point is call for treason, while a few more kilometres away is again your home-nation. Even the basic level amenities were barred with restrictions and apathy from both the governments for forty years and one couldn't be anything but helpless to come out of this situation. Swinging between being Indian or Bangladeshi, these villagers have stories that are long forgotten and almost unheard to millions out there. What is more bizarre to know, that there was a Land Boundary Agreement commissioned between India and newly formed Bangladesh in 1974 that came into effect only in 2015, four decades later. In the year 2015, once again these villagers saw setting of immigration camps, medical facilities, rations, police protection, granting of residential certificates - a view that was witnessed at the time of partition and again, at the time of Bangladesh's creation in 1971.
Partition, indeed, was the biggest unattended blunder made by the British leaving millions scarred forever. But enclaves went a bit too far and the chaos of 1947 didn't let anyone think of resolving this at that time as there were more than enough mayhem already spurn in the two countries. An attempt was made before 1974, in 1958 known as the Nehru-Noon Agreement, signed between the then Prime Ministers of India and Pakistan - Jawaharlal Nehru and Feroze Khan Noon. But the political vulnerability of the two nations didn't let this super-complex narrative to resolve.
The story of the Chhitmahals is a testament to the strength of human resilience and the importance of diplomatic solutions in resolving long-standing issues. For decades, the residents of these enclaves lived in a state of statelessness, caught in a bureaucratic limbo that deprived them of basic rights and a national identity. The peaceful exchange and integration of these territories between India and Bangladesh not only restored a sense of belonging for the people but also set a precedent for resolving border conflicts through cooperation. The journey of Chhitmahal residents reminds us that borders are lines on a map, but true belonging is rooted in community, identity, and dignity—values that transcend political divides.
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