Recent reports of Bengali-speaking Muslims being detained and forcibly pushed into Bangladesh without due legal process have triggered widespread outrage, both in India and internationally.
Our newspaper on Tuesday reported that allegations of ethnic profiling and unlawful deportations undermine not only fundamental human rights but also the diplomatic relationship between India and Bangladesh.
The incident in Maharashtra, where three Bengali-speaking workers from West Bengal were deported despite carrying valid Indian identity documents, underscores the gravity of the issue.
Their eventual return, facilitated by the West Bengal Migrant Workers Development Board and the Border Security Force (BSF), highlights both the arbitrary nature of these expulsions and the administrative chaos they create.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accused the BJP-led government of criminalising linguistic and religious identities, warning that Bengali speakers are being unfairly labelled as “Bangladeshis.”
AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi has echoed these concerns, describing the targeting of poor migrant workers as a deliberate act of social exclusion.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) has raised an alarm over the expulsion of more than 1,500 Bengali-speaking Muslims, including Rohingya refugees, between May and June this year.
HRW’s Asia Director, Elaine Pearson, condemned these deportations as “arbitrary” and discriminatory, pointing to the lack of legal hearings or verification of citizenship status.
Such actions violate international human rights standards and tarnish India’s democratic credentials.
Dhaka has formally requested New Delhi to halt these pushbacks, particularly those carried out at night. Foreign Adviser Md Touhid Hossain has urged India to adopt “transparent, verifiable” procedures for any repatriation process, warning that these unilateral actions risk damaging bilateral relations.
As Professor Md Kamal Uddin of Chittagong University rightly notes, forced deportations without due verification of citizenship are illegal under international law.
Any individual proven to be a Bangladeshi national should be repatriated through formal diplomatic channels — not through coercion.
India’s approach appears to be politically motivated and risks alienating a key neighbour.
If left unchecked, such measures will strain relations and erode trust between the two nations.
India must abandon these heavy-handed tactics, restore due process, and ensure that its policies are consistent with international human rights norms.
Without immediate corrective action, these deportations could escalate into a serious diplomatic crisis — one that neither nation can afford to ignore.
