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🇧🇩 Bangladesh /Elections & Politics

India deports nearly 5,000 Bangladeshis after BJP election win

From Daily Star · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Official statement New plan
  • India has deported nearly 5,000 Bangladeshi citizens since the BJP won elections in West Bengal last month.
  • The BJP government promised to detect, delete, and deport illegal migrants, establishing detention centers across the state.
  • The deportations occur amid political tensions over immigration, with critics accusing the BJP of conflating identity with migration.

India has deported approximately 5,000 Bangladeshi citizens since Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured a significant victory in West Bengal last month. The BJP had campaigned on a promise to "detect, delete, and deport" illegal migrants, a pledge that has now translated into widespread deportations.

We have started the work of deporting Bangladeshi infiltrators who do not fall under the purview of the Citizenship Amendment Act.

— Suvendu AdhikariWest Bengal Chief Minister explaining the basis for the deportations.

Following their election win in the eastern border state, the new West Bengal government ordered the establishment of detention centers. These facilities are intended for undocumented Bangladeshis and Rohingya refugees. West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced on Sunday that nearly 5,000 Bangladeshi citizens have already been expelled across the border from these centers.

Adhikari stated that the government is actively deporting Bangladeshi infiltrators not covered by the Citizenship Amendment Act. He confirmed that 4,800 individuals have been deported so far, with another 836 currently held in holding centers awaiting deportation. The government is making arrangements to expedite the removal of the remaining individuals.

From these centres, 4,800 Bangladeshi infiltrators have already been deported so far.

— Suvendu AdhikariChief Minister Adhikari providing statistics on the number of deportations.

This deportation campaign unfolds against a backdrop of long-standing political tensions surrounding immigration in the border state. Critics argue that the BJP's rhetoric, which has previously referred to migrants as "termites" and "infiltrators," exacerbates unease and marginalization among India's large Muslim population. Rights groups have also raised concerns about due process in past deportations. Relations between India and Bangladesh have seen slow improvement following a political shift in Dhaka earlier this year, with border force chiefs from both nations scheduled to meet soon.

Another 836 people are currently in the holding centres... we are making arrangements to deport the 836 soon.

— Suvendu AdhikariInformation on individuals still in detention awaiting deportation.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Daily Star in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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