Panchagarh: One hundred forty-seven inhabitants of two former Indian enclaves–Kotabhajni and Balapar–in Deviganj uapzila of Panchagarh left for India on Monday as they earlier embraced the Indian nationality during the enclave swap between the two countries on 1 August last.

On completion of all necessary formalities, Mohammad Golam Azam, additional District Magistrate of Panchagar, handed them over to First Secretary of Indian High Commission Roma Kanto Gupto at Gajokathi High School ground in Deviganj uapzila.

Four buses and seven trucks, carrying the 147 ex-enclave residents and their belongings, left for Chilahati Dangapara border in Domar upazila of Nilphamari district from Gajokathi High School ground checking and loading point in Deviganj uapzila at 9:30am.

They reached the Abdur Rouf Primary School in Chilahati border area at about 11:30am.

Completing the immigration formalities, the Bangladesh authorities will hand them over to the Indian authorities in the afternoon through Chilahati-Haldibari border.

In the first phase earlier on Sunday, 48 inhabitants of 36 ex-enclaves left Bangladesh for India.

Bangladesh and India officially swapped 162 enclaves on 1 August 2015. Thus, about 60,000 enclave inhabitants formally got citizenship of both Bangladesh and India under the Land Boundary Agreement 1974 signed by the two neighbours.