India pushes Bangladesh to speed up verification of 2,360 undocumented migrants

On Thursday, India stated that it has requested Bangladesh to expedite the verification process for the antecedents of 2,360 undocumented Bangladeshi migrants residing in the country. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal informed during a press briefing, “We have a substantial number of Bangladeshi nationals here who need to be deported. We have requested the Bangladeshi authorities to verify their nationality. We have a pending list of over 2,360 cases of individuals who need to be deported...We urge the Bangladeshi authorities to expedite the verification process.”

He added, “Those staying in India illegally, regardless of their nationality, will be dealt with according to the law.” Official sources confirmed that a letter regarding the matter has been sent to Bangladesh.

According to sources, a list of 2,369 Bangladeshi migrants residing here has been sent to Dhaka. Recently, India has been “pushing back” undocumented Bangladeshi migrants detained across the country through the eastern border. On May 21, Odisha Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan stated that the state government has directed the state machinery to coordinate the process of identifying undocumented Bangladeshi immigrants.

On May 14, Rajasthan Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Jogaram Patel stated in Jaipur that approximately 1,000 suspected Bangladeshi nationals had been identified as residing in various parts of the state. On May 10, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced at a press conference in Guwahati that the government had decided to implement the “push back” mechanism to curb infiltration, bypassing the legal route.

Following the collapse of Sheikh Hasina’s government in Bangladesh, India initiated a crackdown on foreigners staying illegally in the country. The crackdown has gained momentum following the Pahalgam terror attack, which resulted in the deaths of 26 civilians.