‘Innocent’ trespassers go back to Bangladesh
The Hindu
BSF returns many to Bangladesh Border Guards
On April 29, the border guarding forces arrested two Bangladeshi women at the Jeetpur border outpost in North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal. The women had illegally crossed the border to meet a relative who was undergoing treatment for blood cancer in West Bengal.
On May 1, four Bangladeshi fishermen who had ventured into Indian waters while fishing in Padma river in the State’s Murshidabad district were arrested by the BSF. In both cases, the Border Security Force (BSF) handed over the people to the Border Guards Bangladesh. Almost every week there are incidents where people inadvertently cross the border.
Between January 2021 and March 2022, the South Bengal Frontier of the BSF has handed over 187 Bangladeshi nationals to the BGB. Of them, 135 people had crossed the border in 2021 and 52 between January and March 2022. Sixty-three of those apprehended were women, 27 children and the remaining men.
“Not everyone who crosses the border is a criminal or smuggler. There are many who inadvertently cross the border; this includes women and children and sometimes old people. There are people who are just curious to find the border or people visiting relatives. Our forces after interrogation hand these people to personnel of Border Guards Bangladesh through flag meetings,” S.S. Guleria, DIG and spokesperson of the South Bengal Frontier of the BSF, said .
According to the BSF official anyone involved in smuggling of any substance or people is dealt with firmly, arrested and handed over to the local police. The usual communication from the South Bengal Frontier of the BSF while handing over the nationals of the neighbouring country is “humanity and goodwill”.
However, there is more than that “humanity and goodwill’ while handing over the nationals of Bangladesh to their border guarding forces. The South Bengal frontier of the BSF, which has a jurisdiction of about 913 km in West Bengal, from Sundarbans in the south to Malda in north, guards the more porous border along the entire Eastern Theatre. A large part of the border is riverine with rivers running along the borders. The sheer number of people arrested for crossing the border illegally is also overwhelming. In 2021, the South Bengal Frontier of the BSF arrested 2036 Bangladeshi nationals for illegally crossing the borders. The figure of people from Bangladesh arrested from 2020 was 3060.
The prisons in the State are full of nationals from Bangladesh who are arrested for crossing the border illegally. The Prison Statistics of India’s ( PSI) report for the year 2020 points out that there are 4,926 foreigners lodged in prisons of the State, of which 1,982 (40 %) are in prison in West Bengal. Most of these prisoners are undertrials and Bangladeshi nationals. The BSF’s move of allowing people to return to Bangladesh saves the law enforcing agencies from long arduous trial of such people and prevents overcrowding in the State’s prisons.
Congress leader Girish Chodankar expresses readiness for DMK alliance, emphasizing the need to initiate discussions for effective collaboration.
Madras High Court quashes FIR against Amit Malviya, labeling Udhayanidhi's remarks on Sanatana Dharma as hate speech.
Governor R.N. Ravi expresses concern over the Union government's funding denial for essential Tamil Nadu projects in his address.
In the global shift toward electric vehicles lies a growing and underappreciated challenge, that is an impending copper crunch
The EU is nearing a landmark trade deal with India, enhancing ties and creating a market for 2 billion people.
Women gig workers employed on service platforms say the promise of “flexibility” is collapsing amid new rules, constant surveillance, and a growing sense of insecurity.
Protesters in Palghar demand land rights and cancellation of controversial projects, pledging to stay until their demands are met.
A recent survey in Palakkad shows a 22% rise in waterbird populations, highlighting the area's biodiversity and conservation needs.
Youth killed, another injured as motorcycle crashes into tree at Maisammaguda
Election Commission defends Special Intensive Revision order in Supreme Court, asserting its legislative nature and liberal approach to electoral rolls.
Madhya Pradesh forms high-level panel to investigate Indore water tragedy and determine accountability for contaminated supply.
Vinod Tawde appointed BJP's poll incharge for Kerala; Ram Madhav to oversee Bengaluru civic elections under new president Nitin Nabin.
Doctors warn that unsupervised steroid use is a rising cause of secondary glaucoma, emphasizing the need for awareness and screening.