Shaheb Bazar

The Tin [or Teen] Bigha Corridor (Bengali: তিনবিঘা করিডর) is a strip of land belonging to India on the West Bengal–Bangladesh border, which in September, 2011, was leased to Bangladesh so that it can access its Dahagram–Angarpota enclaves.

According to the Indira Gandhi-Sheikh Mujibur Rahman treaty of 16 May, 1974, India and Bangladesh were to hand over the sovereignty of the Tin Bigha Corridor (178 x 85 sq m) and South Berubari (7.39 km2) to each other, thereby allowing access to the Dahagram–Angarpota enclaves and the Indian enclaves adjacent to South Berubari. Bangladesh did hand over the sovereignty of the smaller South Berubari to India instantly in 1974. India, however, could not transfer the Tin Bigha Corridor to Bangladesh as it required constitutional amendment which could not be done due to political reasons.

After much Bangladesh government protest, India, instead of handing over sovereignty in 2011, proposed to lease the Tin Bigha Corridor to Bangladesh for a certain time. South Berubari, meanwhile, would remain in the possession of India.

The total area of South Berubari Union No. 12 is 22.58 km2. of which 11.29 km. was to go to Bangladesh. The area of the four Cooch Behar enclaves which would also have to go to Bangladesh was 6.84 km2. making the total area to be transferred 18.13 km2. The population of the area including the four enclaves to be transferred, as per 1967 data, was 90% Hindu. The Bangladesh enclaves, Dahagram and Angorpota, were to be transferred to India. Their total area was 18.68 km2. and as per 1967 data more than 80% of their population was Muslim. If this exchange had gone through, it would have meant a change of nationality for the population or migration of the population from Dahagram and Angorpota and South Berubari Union No. 12 and consequent serious rehabilitation problems. There were in any case major agitations by the people of Berubari protesting against the transfer.

After 1971, India proposed to Bangladesh that India may continue to retain the southern half of South Berubari Union No. 12 and the adjacent enclaves and, in exchange, Dahagram and Angorpota may be retained by Bangladesh. As part of the package a strip of land would be leased in perpetuity by India to Bangladesh, giving her access to Dahagram & Angorpota in order to enable her to exercise sovereignty on these two enclaves. This was accepted by Bangladesh as part of a carefully constructed Land Boundary Agreement signed by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and Prime Minister Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in May 16, 1974. The Berubari dispute was thus finally resolved by Article 1.14 of the Agreement which stated:

"India will retain the southern half of South Berubari Union No. 12 and the adjacent enclaves, measuring an area of 2.64 square miles approximately, and in exchange Bangladesh will retain the Dahagram and Angorpota enclaves. India will lease in perpetuity to Bangladesh an area of 178 meters x 85 meters near 'Tin Bigha' to connect Dahagram with Panbari Mouza (P.S. Patgram) of Bangladesh."

Sripur is another beautiful tourist spot where you can see the waterfall with great tide falling from the hills. Besides the enchanting views of the area, one can also have a glimpse of the waterfalls across the border of India. Very Big stones sometimes are coming in this waterfall in Sripur. After completion of visiting Jaflong and Tamabil you must visit Sripur on the way to go back to Sylhet. It's only 7-8 km from Jaflong on the same road to Sylhet a sub road entered into Sripur waterfall. Here you can see the stone collection and orange garden if you go inside Sripur crossing the hills.

An alluring tourist spot where a traveler can see waterfall. Other than the waterfall, you can also enjoy the pleasant view of the area. A lot of huge sized stones can be found from the waterfall in Sripur. Here you can see the stone collection and orange garden if you go inside Sripur crossing the hills.

শ্রীপুর এমন একটি সুন্দর পর্যটন কেন্দ্র যেখানে আসলে আপনি পাহাড় থেকে নেমে আসা জলধারা দেখতে পাবেন। এখানকার নজরকাড়া প্রাকৃতিক সৌন্দর্যের পাশাপাশি আপনি সীমান্তের ওপারে ভারতীয় ভূখণ্ডে অবস্থিত পাহাড়ি ঝর্ণাগুলোও দেখত পাবেন। শ্রীপুরের জলধারায় কখনো কখনো বিশাল পাথর ভেসে আসে। জাফলং ও তামাবিলে ঘুরে সিলেটে ফেরার সময় আপনি অবশ্যই শ্রীপুর হয়ে যাবেন কেননা জাফলং থেকে শ্রীপুরের দূরত্ব মাত্র ৭-৮ কিলোমিটার এবং এ স্থানটি জাফলং-সিলেট সড়কের পাশেই অবস্থিত। পাহাড় অতিক্রম করে শ্রীপুরের অভ্যন্তরে ঢুকলে আপনি পাথরের সংগ্রহের পাশাপাশি কমলার বাগানও দেখতে পাবেন।

Belonia is marked as the zero point at the international border between India and Bangladesh at Baspadua in Belonia, south Tripura district. A barbed wire fence is being built. The area is called Uttar Ghutuma, in Feni district, Bangladesh. Cross-border movement is routine, marriages ignoring the geographical landscape defined by maps are quite common and friendships still hold true between the two people.

A BSF border post is located opposite the spacious Government home with its jackfruit, mango and coconut trees. BSF patrols were guarding the place with the Muhuri river and Muhuri char (wasteland) setting apart the two countries.

At one time, the wasteland fed by the Muhuri River grew vegetables and sugarcane but that is over. It is a sensitive spot with both countries claiming Muhuri Char.

Trains run between India and Bangladesh could help open markets and business options could wear out the habit of political dislike. It is confirmed by a morning visit to the Akhaura border with Bangladesh, a few minutes run down the Akhaura-Agartala road.

At about 7 a.m., tempos loaded with fish drive in to Akhaura from Bangladesh, deposit their wares and turn away. Business is brisk and loud with duty-free dry fish being sold at $2 per kg for the famed Hilsa and 60 cents per kg for small fish. All other items imported into India carry an import duty ranging between 15 per cent and 30 per cent.

Over the last 20 years, the Tripura Government has been pushing New Delhi to open up trade and rail lines with Bangladesh but talks have remained talks; a waste of breath and words. The lines of Marathi poetess Amita Kokate came to mind: "Like the texture/of the canvas/is our relation/though the weaves/Are tightly interlaced, crisscross/It hurts/our fingers."

The Jet Airways flight from Kolkata to Agartala is about 30 minutes as one flies over Bangladesh at a height of 25,000 ft.; that is the lone viable link as the alternative by road going round to Guwahati and then on to Agartala can take more than 20 hours. Most do not even try it out. Sometimes one felt the State has been abandoned by all.

At least for bankers the State and its majority farming community do not exist. In a chat, Dr G.S.G. Ayyangar, Secretary, Agriculture and Rural Development, Tripura Government, revealed the credit-deposit ratio was just 23 per cent. Banks were not lending and rural bank branches are rare in Tripura.

The Government has taken up the issue with the RBI and by now has become a dead Government document. Most farmers get some grants from the Center and the State with the rest brought in from outside sources. It is doubtful if the banking system has thought of routing funds to tribal practicing jhum in community-held land. Common rights on land, practiced over centuries, cannot easily be unwound. As for IT, there is little to show.