DHAKA, May 28 – A top Bangladesh Army official on Monday criticized India’s practice of handing over undocumented Bangladeshi migrants across the border, calling the so-called “push-ins” unacceptable and warning that the army was prepared to intervene if instructed by the government.
Brigadier General Md Nazim-ud-Daula, director of the Military Operations Directorate, said that while the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) is currently managing the situation in line with international protocols, the army stands ready to step in if necessary.
“The BGB handles the issue effectively. However, the army is prepared to step in if needed or upon government instruction. Regardless, the situation is not something we consider acceptable,” he told reporters in Dhaka, as quoted by local media including The Daily Star and The Dhaka Tribune.
India has been rounding up undocumented Bangladeshi nationals and handing them over to BGB personnel along the eastern border. Indian officials told The Hindu that around 295 Bangladeshis have been expelled so far in 2024, with 100 returned as of April 30.
The issue has drawn fresh scrutiny amid media reports of tensions between the Muhammad Yunus-led caretaker government and the Bangladesh Army, now under the leadership of General Waker-Uz-Zaman. Nazim-ud-Daula dismissed the speculation, saying civil-military relations remained cooperative and stable.
“Sometimes, even in families, there can be misunderstandings. But that does not mean there’s division or conflict,” he said. Bangladesh’s Home Affairs Adviser, Lt. Gen. Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury (Retd), reiterated that illegal immigration issues must be resolved through proper diplomatic channels, rejecting India’s push-in approach.
“If any Bangladeshi immigrant is staying illegally in India, they should be repatriated through proper procedures. Similarly, Indian nationals found staying illegally in Bangladesh will be sent back through diplomatic means,” he said.
Chowdhury added that the Foreign Ministry has formally communicated its concerns to New Delhi, with Foreign Affairs Adviser Touhid Hossain and National Security Adviser Khalilur Rahman actively engaging in bilateral talks.
India and Bangladesh share a 4,096.7-km border, much of it running through challenging terrain, including rivers, enclaves, and densely populated areas. According to India’s Ministry of Home Affairs, 3,232 km has been fenced, but further fencing is hindered by geography, local resistance, and the 1975 bilateral agreement.
The BGB has previously objected to India erecting barbed wire fences in sensitive areas. Border tensions resurfaced earlier this year, when India’s Border Security Force (BSF) and the BGB clashed over construction activities.
Indian authorities say large-scale illegal immigration from Bangladesh has contributed to social unrest, with West Bengal’s Murshidabad district and Assam among the worst-affected. In January, police in Jaipur detained 500 Rohingya and Bangladeshi migrants, while over 1,000 illegal Bangladeshi nationals were arrested in Gujarat in April.
On February 4, India’s Supreme Court directed Assam to expedite deportations of individuals declared as foreigners. However, authorities admit that repatriation remains a complex and prolonged process.
