Dhaka has accused Indian authorities of attempting to force migrants across the border without due process
Bangladesh and India have agreed to deepen cooperation along their shared border with improved intelligence sharing and coordinated patrols, according to a joint statement released on Friday, amid strained relations over alleged undocumented migration.
Dhaka has accused Indian authorities of attempting to force migrants across the border without due process, complicating efforts to stabilise ties following the 2024 ousting of Sheikh Hasina and India’s broader effort to identify and deport undocumented migrants.
Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and India’s Border Security Force (BSF) described the discussions as “cordial, positive and forward-looking”, according to the statement released at the end of a four-day meeting of top border officials in New Delhi.
The regular talks also covered “illegal, inadvertent and forcible crossing at border areas”, an increasingly contentious issue in recent months. Bangladesh and India share a more than 4,000km (2,500-mile) border, one of the world’s longest.
India has informally “pushed back” illegal migrants into Bangladesh for decades, but activists say the political changeover in West Bengal has boosted the deportation campaign and unfairly targets Bengali-speaking Muslims.
The escalation has riled Bangladesh, which is equally reluctant to absorb groups of people whose identities are not immediately clear. It said it had sent more than a dozen letters to Delhi seeking an end to the practice.
Stephania Serna
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