Integrated border management on India Bangladesh border

Abstract

Indian subcontinent traditionally was an integrated region in terms of trade, economy and society. This integration was helpful in its economic growth and prosperity, and also in its social synthesis. Bengal region also had similar overseas trade relationships with several parts of the world, which brought its prosperity, and its economic and social synthesis. An artificial political boundary was imposed in the Bengal region of the sub continent in 1947 without any consideration of its economic and social impact. This boundary disrupted many of traditional trade practices, which became a cross border affairs and many a times illegal; cut off many agricultural produced and mineral based industries from their respective sources of raw materials, which fall across the border; etc. The India Bangladesh (erstwhile East Pakistan) boundary itself was very loosely defined and created a lot of confusion. Even after a lapse of considerable time from the imposition of India Bangladesh border, this region has not been able to develop adequate infrastructures and institutional arrangements in the border region for the efficient functioning of the border in terms of cross border movement of human beings and their merchandise. This region is marked by a large number of cross border movement of people, most of which is through illegal routes. A significant proportion of cross border trade through land border takes place through Informal channels. In this study, an attempt has been made to evaluate the pathological conditions prevalent on the India Bangladesh borders by exploring the infrastructure and institutions active in the border areas through an extensive filed survey. The study has explored the territorial issues between the two countries related with boundary. Regarding functional aspect it studies various institutions working in cross border movement of human beings, and their merchandise. This border region was studied under the background of Brunet- Jailly (2007) proposed =Theory of Borderland Studies ; and based on the incentives available with various actors in their activities on the border, a functional dimension has been added to the model.