After sixty-eight years in a nationality grey zone, the country’s newest citizens lit up the land in a celebration of lights and merriment as the clock struck the midnight hour.
Sixty-eight candles, one for each year that the so-called chhitmahals have been in existence, were lit up at the same time across all 111 new territories that passed into Bangladeshi sovereignty at 12:01am today.
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Many houses were also decorated with 68 candles as a symbol of “deliverance from darkness and a hope for a bright future.”
After the candle lighting ceremony, local residents held a rally proudly holding aloft torches and the Bangladesh flag.
Residents say they are hopeful and excited about the prospects offered by Bangladeshi nationality after enduring what they described as seven decades of neglect under Indian tutelage.
In all of the territories, a festive mood prevailed and many residents spent the day yesterday preparing to observe what they called their “victory.”
“We lit up the new land with candles as a symbol of coming out from the darkness after long 68 years,” said Moinul Haque, president of the Bangladesh unit of the Bangladesh-India Exclave Exchange Coordination Committee.
“Even though the territories have been excluded from power connections, we lit up the whole area using generators,” he said.
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Bangladesh’s newest citizens were in a festive mood. Small village fairs were seen in the former exclaves.
The Bangladesh flag will be flown today at 9am in all of the new territories. Various events are scheduled to be held during the day.
Members of the national and international press gathered in the former exclaves to cover the historic territory exchange between Bangladesh and India.
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Those who opted for India said they were frustrated because they had not received clear instructions about the transfer process from the Joint Survey Committee.
“I have not received a travel pass and I do not know when one will be provided to me,” said Mizanur Rahman Mizan, a resident of Dasiar Chhara exclave who has decided to leave Bangladesh.
He also said he was worried about the liquidation of his property because there were a dearth of buyers in the market.
