Push-in at gunpoint

A leading West Bengal-based human rights organisation has accused India’s Border Security Force (BSF) of forcibly pushing so-called Bangladeshis, including women and children, towards Bangladesh.

The organisation has also announced a protest march in Malda on 11 June against the practice. In addition, the body has also appealed to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to intervene in the matter.

In the increasing attempts of illegal push-ins, such voices from India were raised to protect the human rights and condemned the actions of BSF without any validation and verification.

Amid this situation, the 57th Director General-level conference between BGB and BSF, due to be held in New Delhi from 8 to 11 June, will provide Bangladesh with an opportunity to discuss recent illegal push-in attempts by India and other border-related matters.

The BGB-BSF meeting comes amid heightened attention to border security following reports of a number of inhuman push-in attempts along sections of the Bangladesh-India frontier in recent weeks.

The Association for Protection of Democratic Rights (APDR) expressed deep concern over the situation along the India-Bangladesh border, alleging that BSF personnel have been taking people suspected of being Bangladeshi nationals to border areas and attempting to force them across the frontier at gunpoint.

According to a statement issued by the organisation on Sunday, many of those targeted by the alleged push-ins have been left stranded in no-man’s land after Bangladesh’s Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) reportedly refused them entry, saying there was no proof that they were Bangladeshi citizens.

APDR claimed that the situation has created a humanitarian crisis in several border areas, with stranded people, including pregnant women and children, lacking access to food, drinking water and shelter while being exposed to harsh weather conditions.

The rights group further alleged that BSF has denied responsibility for the individuals after leaving them in the border zone, while Bangladeshi authorities maintain that many of those concerned are Indian nationals.

As a result, APDR said, a number of people have become trapped between the two countries without assistance. The organisation linked the situation to what it described as India’s “Detect, Delete, Deport” policy, arguing that the approach is unconstitutional and violates Articles 14 and 21 of the Indian Constitution, which guarantee equality before the law and protection of life and personal liberty.

APDR Vice-President Ranjit Sur announced a protest march in Malda on 11 June, demanding an end to the alleged push-back policy.

He called on Indian authorities to immediately take back all individuals left in no-man’s land and urged the government to abandon what he described as an inhumane practice.

The allegations come amid growing tensions over cross-border push-in attempts, which have become a major issue in Bangladesh-India border relations in recent weeks.

Bangladeshi authorities have repeatedly stated that they will not accept individuals unless their nationality is properly verified through established procedures.

Reports from the border indicate that a group of 10 people allegedly pushed towards Bangladesh through the Boro Bari-Pradhanpara border area in Panchagarh remained stranded near the zero line for more than two days as of Sunday. Meanwhile, according to BGB officials, the force has increased surveillance and patrols along the 4,487-kilometre border and deployed additional personnel in border districts to strengthen monitoring and prevent unauthorised crossings.

Officials said BGB has prevented 21 push-in attempts since Wednesday, involving more than 200 individuals, including women and children. In several instances, local residents reportedly assisted border guards in returning the groups to the Indian side of the border.

Enhanced security measures have been introduced across a number of frontier districts, including Chuadanga, Meherpur, Jashore, Satkhira, Kushtia, Jhenaidah, Feni, Moulvibazar, Mymensingh, Netrokona, Lalmonirhat, Kurigram, Khagrachhari, Thakurgaon, Dinajpur, Joypurhat, Cumilla, Sylhet, Habiganj, Sunamganj, Chapainawabganj, Naogaon, Nilphamari, Panchagarh, Brahmanbaria and Sherpur.

BGB headquarters said vulnerable points along the border have been identified and placed under closer observation. Plainclothes personnel have also been deployed to gather intelligence and help prevent unauthorised movements across the frontier.

The issue is expected to feature prominently during the four-day conference in New Delhi.

Speaking to reporters at the Secretariat on Sunday, Home Affairs Adviser Salahuddin Ahmed said Bangladesh would formally raise the matter during discussions with the BSF.

“Our Border Guard remains vigilant along the frontier. We will prevent any attempts at illegal push-ins,” he said. The adviser noted that the conference would focus on the overall border situation, bilateral cooperation and recent incidents reported along the border. He added that Bangladesh was also pursuing the matter through diplomatic channels.

“All issues will be discussed there. At the same time, we are addressing them through diplomatic engagement while our border security forces remain alert,” he said. Salahuddin emphasised that any concerns regarding cross-border movement should be addressed through established bilateral mechanisms and diplomatic processes. BGB Director General Major General Md Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui will lead a 16-member Bangladeshi delegation at the conference.

The talks are expected to cover a range of long-standing issues, including border management, security cooperation, cross-border crime and incidents of violence along the frontier.

Bangladesh is also expected to reiterate its position that the repatriation of individuals should take place through formal verification procedures and bilateral coordination rather than unilateral action.

Officials said the conference will provide an opportunity for both sides to review the overall border situation and discuss measures aimed at reducing tensions and strengthening cooperation.

The Director General-level meeting is held twice a year on an alternating basis between Bangladesh and India. The previous session took place in Dhaka from 25 to 28 August last year.