No marked increase in interception of undocumented Bangladeshis along border after regime change, data shows

Government data shows no increase in undocumented people crossing India-Bangladesh border despite political changes; BSF tightens vigil.

There has been no significant increase in the number of undocumented people intercepted whilst entering or leaving India on the border with Bangladesh following major political changes in the neighbouring country, government data of the past six years shows.

Between August 5, when former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled to India, and November 27, a total of 1,393 Bangladeshis were apprehended along the international border. From January 1 to August 4, the number of such apprehensions stood at 1,144, data accessed by The Hindu shows.

In all, 3,907 undocumented people have been intercepted along the Bangladesh border this year, which includes Indians and people from other nationalities.

In the whole of 2023, as many as 5,095 undocumented people were intercepted, including 3,137 Bangladeshis.

Other than undocumented Bangladeshis, the Border Security Force (BSF) deployed along the border also intercepted 873 Indians entering Bangladesh without any documents from January 1 to August 4.

The number of Indians who wanted to cross over to Bangladesh from August 5 to November 27 stood at 388.

This year, 109 people from other nationalities, including Myanmar, were also stopped at the border.