Crowds cheer Bangladesh-India land swap after 70 years in limbo

Dashiar Chhara, Bangladesh: Jubilant crowds celebrated Saturday as Bangladesh and India swapped tiny islands of land, ending one of the world´s most intractable border disputes that has kept thousands in stateless limbo for nearly seven decades.

As the clock struck one minute past midnight (1801 GMT Friday), thousands of people who have been living without schools, clinics or power for a generation erupted in cheers of celebration at their newfound citizenship.

"We have been in dark for 68 years," said Russel Khandaker, 20, as he danced with friends in the Dashiar Chhara enclave, which belonged to India but has now became part of Bangladesh.

"We´ve finally seen the light," he told AFP.

A total of 162 tiny islands of land -- 111 in Bangladesh and 51 in India -- were officially handed over to the countries surrounding them on Saturday after Dhaka and New Delhi struck a border agreement in June.

The land-swap means some 50,000 people who have been living without a state to call their own since 1947 will now become part of the countries that surround their homes.

In Dashiar Chhara, thousands of people defied monsoon rains to celebrate, marching through rain-soaked muddy roads singing the Bangladeshi national anthem and shouting: "My country, your country. Bangladesh! Bangladesh!"

Others lit 68 candles to mark the end of "68 years of endless pain and indignity".

Sharifa Akter, 20, held a candle in her hand and smiled. "I can now fulfil my dream to be a top government bureaucrat," she told AFP.

Maidul Islam, 18, said the handover meant "we´re now human beings with full human rights."

Officials from Bangladesh and India are set to hoist their respective national flags over their new territories on Saturday morning in formal ceremonies. (AFP)