Illegal push-in by India: 78 abandoned blindfolded on Sundarbans shoal
Staff Reporter :
A total of 78 Bengali-speaking individuals, reportedly Bangladeshi as India claimed, were pushed into Bangladesh across the Mandarbaria border in the Sundarbans by the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) and its Navy team.
The group, comprising men and women of varying ages, was discovered on a remote shoal in Satkhira near the Bay of Bengal and later rescued by the Bangladesh Coast Guard. According to officials, they had been abandoned in phases, blindfolded and bound, after being transported from Gujarat via Kolkata by ship.
On Sunday night, the group was handed over to Shyamnagar Police Station. Of the 78 individuals, 75 were later housed at the Upazila Muktijoddha Complex, while three who claimed Indian citizenship by birth were kept at the police station pending further verification.
According to testimony from several members of the group, they had been residing in informal settlements in Surat, Gujarat, for an extended period, working in low-income jobs.
On 26 April, local authorities in Gujarat reportedly demolished their slum, and they were arrested the same night. Detainees allege they were subjected to verbal abuse, physical assault, and given insufficient food during their detention.
After four days in custody, the group claims they were flown to Kolkata, transported by sea, and ultimately left stranded on 9 May in Mandarbaria without warning or legal repatriation procedures.
Local authorities, including the Forest Department and the Coast Guard, provided immediate shelter and basic aid. Mobarok Hossain, Officer-in-Charge of the Mandarbaria Patrol Camp, confirmed that the individuals arrived at the camp in three phases, with the initial group of 32 followed by two subsequent arrivals totalling 46.
Assistant Conservator of Forests, Mashiur Rahman, stated that initial findings indicate the individuals were forcibly transported and abandoned in Bangladeshi territory by Indian naval vessels and speedboats.
Shyamnagar Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO), Mosammat Roni Khatun, described the incident as deeply alarming. “The sudden appearance of 78 people on a remote coastal shoal has shocked us all. We responded promptly, ensuring they received dry food, water, and medical assistance,” she said.
Additional Superintendent of Police for Kaliganj Circle, Mithun Sarkar, emphasised that identity verification is ongoing. “Regardless of individual claims, every person’s identity will be properly verified through due legal procedures,” he stated.
Among the group, three individuals, of Bangladeshi descent but reportedly born in Gujarat, claimed Indian citizenship and stated their documents had been confiscated earlier this year by Indian authorities. Their legal status remains under investigation.
Former Director General of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), ALM Fazlur Rahman, condemned the incident, describing any form of “push-in” as “entirely unlawful.” He asserted, “If a country wishes to return someone, it must do so through recognised legal and diplomatic channels. This kind of forced repatriation is a clear violation of international norms.”
This latest case follows a crackdown on undocumented migrants in India. On 27 April, Gujarat police announced the arrest of 1,024 alleged Bangladeshi nationals during raids in Ahmedabad and Surat, raising concerns about escalating cross-border tensions and the treatment of migrant communities.