Border Guard Bangladesh denies illegal influx to India

GUWAHATI: The Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has categorically rejected the reports and perception that there is unabated illegal immigration into India from the neighbouring country.

Addressing a joint press conference with the Border Security Force (BSF) Director-General Rakesh Asthana here on Friday, the BGB Director-General Maj Gen Md Shafeenul Islam said that there is a need to change the perception that huge illegal infiltration is taking place into India from his country.

"The GDP growth rate of Bangladesh is now in the uprising trend; and the per capita income is close to 2300 US dollars. So, there is no reason really for the Bangladeshis to cross the border to seek jobs or work. People of Bangladesh come to India with valid documents for treatment or other purposes. But for work, there is no such cases of illegal infiltration," said Shafeenul Islam.

He further said that about 25 fishermen from Bangladesh recently came to Assam with passports and valid visas, but while returning to Bangladesh, they were apprehended at the border.

"Why has this happened when they had valid documents? There is no infiltration from Bangladesh to India," stressed Shafeenul Islam.

The DG of BGB, however, said that culture, heritage and language of the people living on both sides of the India-Bangladesh border are same. He pointed out that many families in the border areas have their relatives on the other side and they keep visiting them during festivals or other occasions, but with only valid travel documents.

Shafeenul Islam also rejected reports that some people had crossed over to his nation from Assam as they did not find their names in the updated final National Register of Citizens (NRC) published in 2019. He said the NRC is an internal issue of India an Indian issue. "That (NRC) doesn't concern us. We are mostly responsible to guard our borders to prevent any kind of illegal activities," Islam said.

Director-General of BSF Rakesh Asthana said that the BSF apprehended 3,204 persons from January to December 15 this year for illegally entering India from Bangladesh and 60 of them, whose nationalities were established, were handed over to the BGB.

The Directors Generals of BSF and BGB have, however, expressed concerns over the illegal movement of Rohingyas and said that both the forces are taking measures to control it by regularly apprehending such people on both sides of the border.

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