Irregular migration may become the key sticking point in efforts to further improve Dhaka-Delhi ties, which were under severe strain during the Yunus-led interim government rule.
The issue, which was the central theme of BJP’s campaign in the recent elections in West Bengal and Assam, continues to dominate public discourse in the Indian states neighbouring Bangladesh.
The BJP has won the elections by a landslide.
Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Riaz Hamidullah flew to Dhaka yesterday to consult the political leadership on how to engage with the Indian government on the issue, foreign ministry officials said.
“Irregular migration is a sensitive issue. So, it is important to get direction from the political leadership on such matters,” a foreign ministry official, requesting anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the topic, told this correspondent yesterday.
Bangladesh-India ties soured badly in the aftermath of the fall of the Awami League regime in August 2024. India’s sharp reduction in visas for Bangladeshis, trade restrictions, media rhetoric and political statements -- all pointed to that shift.
Under the interim government, the number of push-ins also increased.
However, after the BNP assumed office, signs of a thaw in relations became evident. The two countries have since been working to reactivate institutional mechanisms, including border management, consular services and Joint River Commission meetings.
South Asian affairs analyst Altaf Parvez said BJP governments in Assam and West Bengal are likely to use irregular migration as a tool in domestic politics. He added that India may also use the issue to exert pressure on Bangladesh.
“Despite signs of improvement, this remains a cloud over Dhaka-Delhi relations,” he said.
He further said Dhaka must clearly convey to New Delhi that irregular migration is India’s internal issue and should not be used as a political tool for the sake of stable bilateral relations.
However, the matter remains dominant in politics across the border.
In an interview with India’s ABP News aired on April 15, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, referring to the controversial National Register of Citizens process, said that 1.7 million “infiltrators” had been identified prima facie.
He said more than 1,400 people had been pushed back this year following a Supreme Court judgment.
He claimed the ruling last year allowed a district magistrate to pass an eviction order if a person was believed not to be Indian.
Asked what “push back” meant, Himanta said, “It means you take them to a convenient place and practically push them.”
He added, “We should push them back, but also create an atmosphere so that they leave Assam on their own.”
On April 25, he posted on X that 20 undocumented migrants from Bangladesh had been apprehended and sent back. “Rude people don’t understand soft language. We continuously remind ourselves of this prophetic line when we expel infiltrators from Assam who don’t leave themselves. For instance, these 20 illegal Bangladeshis were PUSHED BACK last night. Assam will fight. Pushback WILL CONTINUE.”
On April 30, Bangladesh’s foreign ministry summoned Indian Deputy High Commissioner Pawan Badhe to flag the remarks, describing them as “disparaging”.
According to an article published in The Hindu, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) sent a note verbale to Dhaka on April 30, stating that India had sent 1,137 diplomatic notes verbales and 456 reminders since September 2020 regarding the repatriation of 2,868 suspected illegal Bangladeshi migrants, but had not received “an actionable response”.
During a weekly media briefing on May 7, Indian MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India’s policy is that any foreign national living illegally in the country must be repatriated in accordance with laws, procedures and established bilateral mechanisms and arrangements.
“We expect Bangladesh will expedite nationality verification so that repatriation of illegal immigrants can take place in a smooth manner,” he said.
Asked about the issue, a foreign ministry official acknowledged the note verbale of April 8 but said the matter is not “black and white”.
The official, who requested anonymity, said that over the years, many Bangladeshis have been repatriated after verification of the nationalities of individuals listed by Indian authorities.
The procedure for nationality verification involves the Indian MEA sending a diplomatic note, after which the Bangladesh High Commission seeks consular access to prisons, meets those listed, and sends names to the home ministry in Dhaka for verification.
Following verification, the high commission issues travel permits for repatriation, he added.
The official said the Indian side often takes months to grant consular access, and even then, names listed are sometimes not found during visits. In some cases, Indian jail authorities delay the release of such detainees or inmates, citing legal process, further delaying the repatriation process.
In Assam, the official said, although the Indian MEA provides consular access, approval from the state government is also required. However, the Assam government has not granted access to the Bangladesh mission for over a year, making nationality verification impossible.
“It is not clear why the Indian MEA is speaking so publicly now when several mechanisms already exist to address border and migration issues. These could have been resolved through dialogue,” the official added.
Meanwhile, West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, in his first cabinet meeting yesterday, said the state government had approved the transfer of land to the BSF for fencing along the Bangladesh border and the immediate implementation of the census exercise in the state.
Asked about these developments, Prime Minister’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Humayun Kobir said, “If we want to advance bilateral relations, the mindset of leadership should be to address challenges.”
He added that as long as the door to dialogue remains open, there is scope for resolving issues, though some may take longer than others.
On irregular migration, Kobir said political parties sometimes use rhetoric, including extreme language, during elections.
“That is one thing, and governing is another. Let us see whether rhetoric and governance align in West Bengal,” he told reporters at the foreign ministry yesterday.
“Our relationship is with the central government of India. We will not get involved in their internal politics,” he said.
“If you believe in people-centric relations, you have to handle people humanely,” Kobir added.
