Illegal push-ins of Bengali Muslims into Bangladesh
Al Mamun Harun Ur Rashid :
Prominent Indian political leaders, civil rights organisations, and international observers have expressed serious concerns over reports that poor Bengali-speaking Muslims in India are being detained and forcibly pushed across the border into Bangladesh without due legal process.
An international analyst suggested that these measures may be intended to exert pressure on Bangladesh’s current interim government, which, unlike its predecessor, has not maintained the same level of cooperation with India.
Senior figures such as West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi have accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led central and state governments of criminalising linguistic and religious identities, using deportations as tools of political and social exclusion.
The issue drew renewed attention following a recent case in Maharashtra, where three Bengali-speaking migrant workers from West Bengal were detained by Mumbai Police and reportedly deported to Bangladesh without prior notification to West Bengal authorities.
They were subsequently returned to India after intervention by the West Bengal Migrant Workers Development Board and the Border Security Force (BSF).
In a recent address to the West Bengal Legislative Assembly, Mamata Banerjee condemned the action, stating, “If you speak Bengali, you are labelled a Bangladeshi and sent to Bangladesh.
Even with valid identity documents such as Aadhaar and PAN cards, this happened simply because they spoke Bengali.”
Banerjee accused BJP-led administrations of ethnic profiling, asserting that such incidents are part of a wider pattern in several BJP-governed states.
The West Bengal Migrant Workers Development Board confirmed that the three men-two from Murshidabad and one from East Burdwan-were detained in early June.
Despite the submission of their identity documents to Mumbai Police, they were pushed across the border.
A flag meeting between the BSF and Bangladesh border guards facilitated their return.
Echoing these concerns, AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi criticised the BJP government for conducting widespread, illegal detentions targeting Bengali-speaking Muslims across India.
“Those labelled as illegal immigrants are among the most vulnerable-slum dwellers, domestic workers, and ragpickers,” he said on social media. “They are repeatedly targeted because they lack the means to resist police abuses.”
Owaisi cited reports alleging that Indian citizens have been detained without legal justification and forcibly expelled to Bangladesh at gunpoint.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) recently reported that Indian authorities expelled over 1,500 Bengali-speaking Muslims, including around 100 Rohingya refugees, between 7 May and 15 June.
The organisation stated that many of those expelled were Indian citizens denied any legal hearing or verification.
Elaine Pearson, HRW’s Asia Director, condemned the actions, saying, “India’s ruling BJP is fueling discrimination by arbitrarily expelling Bengali Muslims, including Indian citizens.”
She added that claims of managing irregular immigration are unconvincing given the disregard for due process and international human rights standards.
The Bangladeshi government has criticised these deportations as unilateral actions that violate diplomatic protocols.
The interim government formally requested New Delhi to halt such pushbacks, especially those conducted under cover of night, but no official response has been received.
Foreign Adviser Md Touhid Hossain recently called on India to cease night-time pushbacks and to adopt “transparent, verifiable” procedures, warning that such practices risk damaging bilateral relations and breach international norms regarding repatriation and human rights.
Md Kamal Uddin, Pro-Vice Chancellor (Administration) and Professor of International Relations at the University of Chittagong, told The New Nation that the forced deportations violate international laws and principles, particularly when citizenship is not properly verified.
He suggested that India’s actions reflect dissatisfaction with the current interim government’s approach, which differs from the previous administration’s.
“India is compiling new lists and seeking to pressure Bangladesh, but such tactics are unlikely to succeed and contravene international norms,” he said.
Professor Kamal Uddin emphasised the importance of constructive diplomacy and urged both countries to resolve their differences through dialogue.
“If individuals are proven to be Bangladeshi citizens, their identities should be properly verified and repatriation conducted via official diplomatic channels, not through coercion,” he said.
He recommended a balanced response from Bangladesh, beginning with cooperative engagement but remaining prepared to adopt firmer measures to protect national sovereignty and citizens’ rights if necessary.