India 'Pushing Back' Undocumented Bangladesh Nationals, 300 Migrants Sent Back this Month: Report

New Delhi: The Indian government has been “pushing back” undocumented Bangladeshi migrants detained across the country through the eastern border, said government officials.

Earlier this month, on May 4, two Air India planes transported 300 undocumented migrants, including 200 women and children to Agartala in Tripura. The migrants, who were earlier detained in Gujarat were subsequently sent to Bangladesh via the land border, reported The Hindu.

The Gujarat police had reportedly detained 1,000 suspected Bangladeshi nationals from Ahmedabad and Surat on April 26.

A government official told the newspaper that while 295 Bangladeshis were “deported” in 2024, this year till April 30, around 100 Bangladeshi citizens have been deported and handed over to the Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB).

The Foreign Ministry of Bangladesh had earlier sent a letter to India on May 8 “raising concern over people being pushed into the country and urged New Delhi to adhere to established repatriation mechanisms”.

The MEA is yet to comment on the issue.

On Wednesday (May 14, 2025), Rajasthan Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Jogaram Patel said that around 1,000 suspected Bangladeshi nationals had been identified as residing in different parts of the State.

“The first batch of 148 Bangladeshi nationals was transported to Jodhpur and flown to Kolkata on Wednesday (May 14, 2025). From there, they will be deported to Bangladesh,” said Patel.

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