Home Affairs Adviser Lieutenant General (Retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury has assured that illegal Indian nationals in Bangladesh will be repatriated through proper legal channels, contrasting with India’s recent push-in tactics.
Speaking to journalists after inaugurating the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB)’s new ‘Boyesing Floating Border Outpost’ (BOP) in the Sundarbans on Saturday, Chowdhury emphasised adherence to formal processes amid rising border tensions.
The floating BOP, launched under the Riverine Border Guard (RBG) Company in the Jahore Region, aims to bolster security along the water borders of the Sundarbans, a region recently targeted by Indian push-ins.
Chowdhury addressed India’s actions, noting a visit to the Mandarbari border area where push-ins occurred. “We’ve urged India to return any Bangladeshi citizens through proper channels, just as we handle Indian nationals here legally,” he said.
He highlighted a thwarted push-in attempt at the Brahmanbaria border Friday, crediting the resistance of the BGB, Ansar, and local communities. “With your cooperation—journalists, people, and the BGB—India won’t succeed,” he added.
On diplomatic efforts, Chowdhury confirmed a protest letter sent to Delhi on May 9, with ongoing coordination involving the ambassador, Foreign Affairs Adviser, and National Security Adviser Dr Khalilur Rahman. He downplayed India’s actions as provocation, citing past precedents from his tenure as BGB Director General, but linked the surge to the recent demolition of a Bengali slum in Gujarat.
“That’s when this started,” he noted. Regarding Rohingya and UNHCR cardholders among the push-ins, he said, “We’ve protested this mix-up, as India is also sending back our Rohingyas and their own.”
Chowdhury acknowledged the presence of undocumented Indians in Bangladesh, inviting public tips to facilitate their legal repatriation. “We won’t push back like India; that’s illegal. We’ll follow the rules,” he affirmed, ruling out retaliatory push-ins.
The event saw BGB Director General Major General Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui, Jashore Region Commander, Khulna Sector Commander, and other senior officers in attendance, underscoring the government’s commitment to border security under Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus’s interim leadership.