Bangladesh spooked by BJP sweep in Assam, Bengal, puts border on alert

Even as New Delhi on Thursday said that it expected Dhaka to speed up its verification process for the repatriation of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants from India, Bangladesh Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said that the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has been instructed to remain vigilant along the borders to prevent any possible "push-ins" from India.

The move by Dhaka to sound an alert on the Indo-Bangladesh border comes hours after India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) was reacting to a question on recent statements by Bangladeshi Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman.

It also follows the BJP's landslide victories in Assembly polls in West Bengal and Assam. The two Indian states border Bangladesh, and the issue of illegal immigration became a key one in the recent polls.

WHAT DHAKA SAID ON ILLEGAL BANGLADESHI IMMIGRANTS IN INDIA

On May 5, a day after the results of the Assembly elections were declared, Bangladesh Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman said Dhaka would take "appropriate measures" against "push-in" incidents from the Indian side. "If any kind of push-in incident occurs after the change of power in West Bengal, then Bangladesh will take appropriate measures," he said.

By "push-in", Rahman was referring to the reports of Bangladeshi immigrants who had crossed over into India being sent back. There have been reports that illegal immigrants were rounded up from several states and pushed across the border from Assam and Tripura, where the BJP had been in power before the Assembly polls. West Bengal is now set to become a BJP-ruled state.

Rahman's remarks suggested that Dhaka saw Bengal, too, now being used for the "push-in".

The Supreme Court of India in February 2025 directed the Assam government to expedite the deportation of individuals declared foreigners.

REPATRIATION OF ILLEGAL BANGLADESHI IS INDIA'S CORE ISSUE: INDIAN GOVT

On Thursday, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal pointed to the "core issue of the repatriation of illegal Bangladeshis from India". Replying to a question on Rahman's remarks, Jaiswal said India expected that Bangladesh would speed up the verification process of the illegal Bangladeshis staying in India.

"We have seen comments of this nature being made in the last several days. These comments must be seen in the context of the core issue of the repatriation of illegal Bangladeshis from India. This obviously requires cooperation from Bangladesh," said Jaiswal in his weekly press conference on Thursday.

"We expect that Bangladesh will expedite nationality verification so that the repatriation of illegal immigrants can take place in a smooth manner," he added.

DHAKA PUTS BORDER ON ALERT, ASKS BGB TO STAY VIGILANT

Hours after Jaiswal's statement, Bangladesh Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said "Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) was instructed to remain vigilant along the borders to prevent any possible push-ins from India following the BJP's victory in the West Bengal Assembly polls", reported Dhaka-based newspaper, The Daily Star.

"We have instructed the BGB to stay alert along borders. Although we do not see such a possibility, we have taken precautions in advance so that we can address the situation if it arises," he said, adding that fresh directives have been issued to the deputy commissioners on maintaining law and order.

BJP leaders, including Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, and West Bengal LOP Suvendu Adhikari have raised the issue of large-scale immigration of illegal Bangladeshis into India. Reports suggest demographic changes in several districts of Assam and West Bengal due to the huge influx of illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.

Dhaka summoned the acting Indian High Commissioner after Himanta Biswa Sarma's remarks on "push-backs". In an interview, Sarma said that the formal process was frustratingly slow and, therefore, some Bangladeshis were "pushed back, taking advantage of the night".

"If I want to send them back officially, I will have to approach the MEA. The MEA will then send details to Bangladesh. It then depends solely on Bangladesh to decide whom they want to take back," Sarma said. Instead, Himanta said that illegal immigrants were "pushed in" by "taking advantage of the night" in places where the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) were not present.

Sarma said while 1,400 Bangladeshis were officially "pushed back", the actual number could be in the thousands.

Referring to the February 2025 observation of the apex court, Sarma said, "Last year, the Supreme Court said if the District Magistrate (DM) feels a person is not Indian, an eviction order can be issued. However, the order does not specify how the eviction is to be carried out."

BANGLADESH SPOOKED AFTER BJP WINS IN WEST BENGAL

Bangladesh's fresh fear was awakened after the BJP won the West Bengal Assembly election with a two-thirds margin.

Bangladesh's worry is mainly due to the BJP's stance on illegal immigrants. The party also took the issue of deporting the illegal Bangladeshi immigrants as its core campaign issue.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been repeatedly highlighting the demographic change in border districts like Malda and Murshidabad due to infiltration by illegal Bangladeshis. Modi has also accused the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress of compromising national security by allowing infiltrators into the state.

Home Minister Amit Shah also campaigned extensively during the Assembly election campaign in West Bengal and made the issue of infiltration the centre point of the rallies he addressed.

BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, who is considered the frontrunner for the Chief Minister post of West Bengal in July 2025, said that "Rohingyas and Bangladeshi Muslim intruders" should first be removed from the voter list and then expelled from the country. He asserted that "not a single Rohingya or Bangladeshi Muslim intruder" would be allowed to remain.

Assam CM Sarma also campaigned in the state of West Bengal and raised the issue of illegal infiltration, like he did in Assam.

Now, after the BJP sweep in Assam and West Bengal, and India on Thursday doubling down on its stance on infiltration and "repatriation of illegal Bangladeshis from India", has made Bangladesh worried about possible "push-ins".

While India is well within its rights to send back people who have entered the country illegally, Bangladesh, acting as a responsible neighbour, should cooperate in the process, and not raise bogeys.