Al Mamun Harun Ur Rashid :
Bangladesh has witnessed a sharp increase in illegal cross-border push-ins from India over the past six weeks, with 1,597 individuals detained between 7 May and 19 June, raising serious questions over border management and human rights violations.
Data compiled from the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), Bangladesh Coast Guard, Bangladesh Army, and independent media sources confirm the detentions, which include Bangladeshi returnees, suspected Indian nationals, and at least 64 Rohingyas. Officials say the influx points to a breakdown in coordination and a lack of reciprocal action from Indian border forces.
Of the total number, 1,512 individuals were detained by BGB units stationed across major border districts. An additional 78 were apprehended by the Coast Guard in the Sundarbans, while seven others were intercepted at Panchhari in Khagrachhari by the Army.
Officials have noted that several Indians have been returned through formal push-backs at checkpoints in Kurigram, Lalmonirhat, and Thakurgaon, while others-such as three individuals detained near Mandarbaria-were later released on bail.
Despite ongoing assurances from the BGB regarding increased surveillance and enforcement, the flow of unauthorised entrants continues.
The initial wave was recorded on 7 May, when 159 individuals were pushed into Bangladesh via border points in Khagrachhari, Moulvibazar, and Kurigram. Since then, repeated entries have occurred across numerous districts, including Sylhet, Dinajpur, Meherpur, and Feni.
The single largest push-in occurred on 26 May, when 214 individuals entered Bangladesh through Moulvibazar, Chuadanga, and Jhenaidah. This was followed by several additional surges, including 244 entries during the second week of June alone.
Among the detainees are at least 64 Rohingyas, many of whom were intercepted in Sylhet, Kurigram, and Moulvibazar. According to Amnesty International, such forced returns constitute a violation of international humanitarian and refugee law.
“Push-ins must be carried out through formal procedures, with consent from the receiving country,” said Prof Amena Mohsin, former faculty member of the Department of International Relations at the University of Dhaka.
“Arbitrarily returning individuals-particularly Rohingya or undocumented migrants-undermines the basic rights enshrined in international law.”
Prof Md Rabiul Islam of Jahangirnagar University’s Department of Law and Justice echoed these concerns.
“India’s actions potentially breach as many as 18 UN Conventions, alongside bilateral agreements signed between the two countries, such as the 1975 Joint Guidelines and the 2011 Coordinated Border Management Plan (CBMP),” he said.
In many cases, detained Indian nationals were intermixed with undocumented migrants, raising questions about the deliberate nature of these incidents.
On 27 and 28 May, 63 Indian citizens were detained in Kurigram and Lalmonirhat and subsequently pushed back. Similar operations were conducted in Thakurgaon and Sylhet, suggesting a coordinated cross-border strategy.
Speaking to the media, BGB Director General Lt Gen (Retd) Mohammad Jahangir Alam Chowdhury acknowledged the challenge of policing an expansive and often remote border.
“Push-ins are taking place through hard-to-monitor regions such as Beanibazar, Sreemangal, Roumari, and parts of the Chittagong Hill Tracts,” he said. “Nonetheless, BGB personnel, along with local law enforcement, Ansar members, and civilians, are actively engaged in efforts to curb these illegal entries.”
He added that Bangladesh has repeatedly requested India to follow proper repatriation procedures for any Bangladeshi nationals residing there. “We’ve held flag meetings and submitted protest notes,” he said, reaffirming BGB’s commitment to lawful repatriation.
While India recently claimed that 2,369 undocumented individuals, believed to be Bangladeshis, are awaiting deportation, it has urged Dhaka to expedite nationality verification. However, experts argue that repatriation must adhere to defined international protocols, including the right to a fair review and proper documentation.
The Bangladesh Foreign Ministry is reportedly preparing a formal diplomatic protest to be lodged with New Delhi, demanding an immediate halt to the practice of illegal push-ins and calling for renewed bilateral discussions on border security and migrant rights.
