Bangladesh considers pushback as India increases push-ins

Bangladesh has raised serious concerns over a recent surge in "push-ins" from India, where individuals –including Bangladeshi nationals, Rohingyas, and others – are being forcibly sent across the border without formal procedures. 

In response, Dhaka is now considering a reciprocal pushback, according to government sources.

Over the past two weeks, approximately 340 people have been pushed into Bangladesh through various border points in Sylhet, Moulvibazar, Khagrachhari, Kurigram, and Satkhira, with many detained by Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and the Bangladesh Coast Guard.

Despite repeated diplomatic protests and letters to New Delhi, including a formal note sent on May 9, there has been no significant response from the Indian side.

“We are monitoring each case separately,” said Dr Khalilur Rahman, National Security Adviser and the Chief Adviser’s High Representative on Rohingya Affairs. “If someone is proven to be our citizen, we will accept them—but through formal channels. Push-ins like this are not the right process.”

Borders through which push-in occur 

The scale of the push-ins is alarming. The BGB has detained 262 individuals so far, identifying 223 as Bangladeshi citizens, 19 as Rohingya, and 20 whose identities remain unverified. 

Additionally, the Bangladesh Coast Guard arrested 78 people along the Satkhira border, including three Indian nationals, bringing the total to 340 detainees. 

On May 14, the BSF pushed in 60 more people through the Sylhet and Moulvibazar borders—44 via Baralekha and 16 via Kanaighat—comprising 13 men, 18 women, and 13 children, now under BGB custody. 

Earlier, on May 9, 78 individuals were abandoned in the Mandarbaria Char in Satkhira’s West Sundarbans, with reports of torture marks and accounts of being blindfolded and transported from Gujarat via air launch. 

On May 7, another 123 were apprehended in Khagrachhari and Kurigram after being moved from Gujarat to Tripura by the BSF and forced across the border on foot, including Bengali, Rohingya, and Gujarati speakers.

Who are being pushed in?

According to BGB reports, 262 people have been detained along land borders and 223 identified as Bangladeshis, 19 are Rohingya refugees, while identity of 20 could not be ascertained immediately.

The Coast Guard intercepted 78 individuals in Satkhira, including three Indian citizens.

Among those rescued in Satkhira, victims reported being blindfolded and flown from Gujarat to an unknown location, before being dropped off near the Sundarbans border area. Many showed signs of physical abuse and illness.

On May 7, BGB arrested 123 people who had been pushed through the Khagrachari and Kurigram borders. Among them were individuals speaking Bengali, Rohingya, and Gujarati, suggesting a mix of nationalities and backgrounds.

India’s tactics: A strategic move or provocation?

Analysts and experts have expressed concern over the growing trend.

“This push-in is outside the existing legal framework—it is not completely legal,” said Major General (retd) ANM Muniruzzaman, President of the Bangladesh Institute of Peace and Security Studies.  

“It is necessary to protest or talk to India about this. We don’t know who is being sent across. That is why it is unacceptable.”

Others speculate that these actions may be politically motivated, especially amid rising India-Pakistan tensions.

“Amid the India-Pakistan conflict, Muslims—particularly Bengali-speaking ones—are being targeted in Indian states like Gujarat,” said Altaf Parvez, a researcher on Southeast Asian history.  

“Some of them are now being pushed into Bangladesh.”

International relations expert Imtiaz Ahmed, a former professor of Dhaka University, noted that such tactics might also serve internal political narratives in India.

“Push-ins may be done to gain media attention or provoke anti-Bangladesh sentiment inside India,” he said.

Dhaka protests through diplomatic channels

The government of Bangladesh has taken several steps in response:

On May 8, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a strong protest letter to India, expressing deep concern and urging an immediate halt to the practice.

The letter emphasised that Bangladesh is willing to take back its citizens through proper legal channels; India must stop pushing Rohingya refugees into Bangladesh; forcible cross-border transfers undermine bilateral trust.

There are also indications that Bangladesh may prepare its own list of undocumented Indian nationals residing in the country for potential reciprocal action.

“Discussions are underway through diplomatic channels,” confirmed Joint Secretary Dr Ziauddin Ahmed of the Home Ministry’s Public Security Division.  

“The government has plans to push back if needed.”

Security concerns and border surveillance

BGB has intensified surveillance and patrols along vulnerable border areas, particularly in remote locations like the Sundarbans, where access is difficult and push-ins have occurred.

“The BSF is pushing people into isolated, uninhabited areas where we can’t maintain physical presence,” said Major General Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui, Director General of the Border Guard Bangladesh. “This is a well-planned and despicable act.”

BGB has already conducted multiple flag meetings with the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) and lodged both verbal and written protests.

Human rights violations and legal implications

Rights groups and legal experts have condemned the push-ins as violations of international norms.

“Pushing people across borders without due process is a violation of human rights,” said Asif Munier, migration and refugee expert.  “Each case should be reviewed individually, and people should be returned through legal procedures—not forced entry.”

With tensions simmering on multiple fronts, the issue of illegal push-ins threatens to become a new flashpoint between the two neighbours.

A delicate diplomatic test ahead

As both countries navigate a complex geopolitical landscape, the border push-in issue demands urgent resolution. Without dialogue and adherence to legal processes, the risk of escalation remains high.

Bangladesh’s potential decision to push back—if implemented—could further complicate relations. But for now, officials insist that any action will be taken only after verifying identities and exhausting diplomatic avenues.