India Accused of Forcibly Expelling Bengalis to Bangladesh Without Due Process

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has leveled serious accusations against Indian authorities, alleging the forced expulsion of ethnic Bengali residents, predominantly Muslims from West Bengal, into Bangladesh without proper legal procedures. The international rights organization stated that actions by India's Border Security Force (BSF), combined with efforts by Bangladesh's Border Guard (BGB) to block entry, have left dozens of families stranded in the "zero line" area between the two nations.

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Indian authorities are cruelly dumping families into Bangladesh or leaving them stranded at the border, ignoring their basic human rights.

According to HRW's report, the BGB has thwarted 21 attempts by the BSF to push more than 200 individuals, including children, across the border into Bangladesh since the beginning of June. West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari had previously announced a "detect, delete and deport" policy, which he claimed led to the detention of hundreds of alleged "Bangladeshi infiltrators" and forced nearly 5,000 people to leave.

"Indian authorities are cruelly dumping families into Bangladesh or leaving them stranded at the border, ignoring their basic human rights," said Meenakshi Ganguly, deputy Asia director at HRW. She urged the Indian government to cease unlawful expulsions, implement procedural safeguards, engage with Bangladeshi authorities for citizenship verification, and end what she described as "dismaying animosity toward Muslims."

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The (Indian) government should stop unlawfully expelling people, ensure procedural safeguards, engage with Bangladeshi authorities to verify citizenship, and end this dismaying animosity toward Muslims.

HRW detailed accounts from nine witnesses who described BSF personnel escorting groups to the border at night and forcing them into Bangladesh through breaches in the fence. In some instances, the BSF reportedly allowed individuals to return after Bangladeshi border guards denied them entry. One witness described a 75-hour standoff near Panchagarh after the BSF attempted to push 10 people, including children, into Bangladesh on June 5. The group was caught in severe weather and received limited aid before the BSF eventually escorted them back to the Indian side after failed negotiations between the forces. On June 6, Indian border guards allegedly pushed six members of two Bengali Muslim families toward the Tetulbaria border.

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What I witnessed appeared to be a war-like standoff with large deployments of BSF and BGB.