Push-back, not push-in; diplomatic solution is essential

Since the crackdown began in India on those suspected of being illegal Bangladeshi residents, several incidents of push-back into Bangladesh have come to light. Recently, India has reportedly pushed into Bangladesh some individuals under suspicion of being illegal Bangladeshis, though allegations have arisen that among them were even Indian citizens from Gujarat. In just the past three weeks, police in the Indian states of Gujarat and Rajasthan have identified over 1,000 individuals. According to their claims, these individuals had been residing illegally in India after coming from Bangladesh.

Again, the first group of 148 individuals detained in Rajasthan was flown on a special aircraft to Agartala in Tripura on Wednesday. It could not be confirmed whether any of those involved in the attempted push-back at the Brahmanbaria’s Bijoynagar border on Thursday night were among those allegedly detained in Rajasthan. Police in both Gujarat and Rajasthan have stated that all Bangladeshi nationals whose identities have been confirmed will be sent back. Similar detentions of such Bangladeshi nationals, labeled as “intruders” by the police, are also taking place in Odisha and several other states.

Information received through the media on Sunday (May 17) revealed that Home Adviser Lieutenant General (Retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury stated that the way India is pushing people into Bangladesh through various borders (push-in) is not legally justified. He said that Bangladesh has informed India that if any Bangladeshi is staying illegally in India, they should be sent back through the proper authorities. Similarly, if there are any illegal Indian nationals in Bangladesh, they too will be returned through appropriate channels. For this reason, India has been requested not to carry out push-ins but to return people following proper procedures.

The home adviser further noted that on Friday, India attempted a push-in at the Brahmanbaria border, which was thwarted with the help of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), Ansar, and local residents. He emphasised that if everyone in the border areas remains united and cooperative, India will not be able to carry out push-ins.

Push-in and push-back actions can in no way be carried out by force. This is a legal and diplomatic matter. Social activists have alleged that those arrested in Gujarat and Rajasthan as “Bangladeshis” are mostly not being detained through proper legal procedures. Even the Indian media has criticised this.

Push-back or push-in at the border is a process in which detained individuals are taken to the border and forcibly sent into the neighbouring country’s territory. What is considered a push-back by India is seen as a push-in by Bangladesh. This process has no legal recognition in India; yet it has been practiced for a long time, though officially acknowledged by neither side.

As Bangladesh shares borders with India on three sides, it is true that many people cross into India through various unofficial routes, and in some cases, they end up staying there. However, forcibly pushing them back is in no way acceptable; rather, a diplomatic solution is essential. We hope that the Bangladesh government will soon reach a diplomatic resolution with the Indian government on this matter.

At the same time, it is crucial to strengthen surveillance along the Bangladesh border to prevent illegal crossings into India and to stop intrusions into Bangladesh via push-ins. Since the inception Rohingya crisis, we have seen Bangladesh become something of a haven for illegal foreign entrants. People are entering Bangladesh by any means they can—some are even being forcibly pushed in. For a small and densely populated country, this is an unbearable burden.