The perception of large-scale illegal immigration from Bangladesh into India is not based on fact, the frontier forces of the two countries have said while deciding to ramp up patrolling to check cross-border crimes.
The Border Security Force (BSF) and Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) also decided to facilitate the erection of a single-row fence in “priority patches” of the 4,096 km border. “There is no reason really for Bangladeshis to cross the border unless they travel for treatment or other purposes with valid documents,” BGB Director-General Shafeenul Islam said on Friday after the conclusion of the 51st DG-level conference between the two forces. A factor behind Bangladeshi people not entering India illegally was the GDP growth rate of Bangladesh, he said. Mr. Islam also played down the issue of NRC in Assam.
His BSF counterpart Rakesh Asthana said there was no truth behind allegations of large-scale ingress of people from Bangladesh into India. “We do apprehend people who try to enter illegally... we caught 3,204 such people this year. We sent back those who were established as Bangladeshi nationals.”
Illegal movement of people was not a one-way traffic, Mr. Asthana said, adding Rohingya refugees issue has been a major one of late.
