Only 10 declared foreigners deported to Bangladesh from Assam in the last decade

Staff Reporter

Guwahati: It is a major cause of concern that only 10 declared foreigners were officially deported to Bangladesh from Assam in more than a decade, from the year 2013 to July 2024. However, a total of 440 people convicted as foreigners were deported during this period.

It should be made clear that if any person entering Assam from Bangladesh without any valid documents is caught by the police and the case is referred to the Foreigners' Tribunal (FT), the FT will conduct a trial, and the person will be termed a declared foreigner. On the other hand, if any such person entering Assam from Bangladesh with a valid passport and other documents overstays here and is caught, he will be brought before the FT, which will then declare him a convicted foreigner.

Declared foreigners are the major cause of concern, as Bangladesh does not want to take these people back officially. In 2013, an understanding was reached between Bangladesh and India that the neighbouring country will have to accept the people officially deported after being declared foreigners by the FTs. Before 2013, the system was to simply push back such persons.

Convicted foreigners are generally accepted by Bangladesh as they possess valid documents like passports, which have their addresses, and their nationality cannot be questioned. However, when Indian authorities refer the cases of declared foreigners to Bangladesh, most often the answer from the neighbouring country is that the address could not be found or gives other such excuses. Due to this reason, it becomes a Herculean task for Assam to deport such declared foreigners.

A total of 1,30,330 persons of the post-1971 era were detected and declared foreigners up to July 31, 2024. Prior to March 13, 2013, a total of 30,113 illegal foreigners were pushed back to Bangladesh by the BSF.

During the recent unrest in Bangladesh, Rohingyas tried to enter Assam from the neighbouring country. When caught by the security forces on the international border, most of the Rohingyas were caught and pushed back then and there during the last three months.

 Also Read: Supreme Court Asks Assam Government To Provide Details Of Steps Taken To Deport Declared Foreigners

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