Involuntary Displacement and Rehabilitation: A Comparative Study of Hirakud and Kaptai Dams of India and Bangladesh

Abstract

The present article has made a comparative study of Hirakud and Kaptai dams of India and Bangladesh, respectively, to study the approach of governance of both countries in addressing the issue of displacement, resettlement and rehabilitation. It found that the civil–military regime of Bangladesh and the democratic regime of India are equally repressive in addressing the aforesaid issues. However, in the case of the Kaptai Dam, the whole episode of displacement led to arms conflicts, statelessness and insurgency in the state, while no such things were experienced in the case of the Hirakud Dam.