In a distressing account, Shona Banu, a 58-year-old woman from Barpeta district in Assam, India, recounted her experience of being forcibly transported to Bangladesh under duress. On May 25, Banu was summoned to a local police station and subsequently taken, along with approximately 13 others, to the Indian-Bangladesh border, where she claims they were pressured to cross over. Admittedly terrified, Ms. Banu has long battled to prove her Indian citizenship amidst increasing scrutiny over alleged illegal immigration from Bangladesh.
“They pushed me over at gunpoint. I spent two days without food or water amidst the fields, filled with mosquitoes and leeches," she explained, visibly distressed. Following this ordeal, she was held in a reported old prison across the border for two days before being returned to India. Although her situation remains unclear, her experience reflects a growing trend in Assam, where individuals identified as foreigners have been reportedly deported without due process.
The BBC's investigation revealed a systemic pattern, identifying at least six individuals who were similarly picked up from their homes and swiftly deported to Bangladesh. Indian authorities, including the Border Security Force and local police, have not addressed these allegations.
Such aggressive crackdowns on perceived illegal immigrants, predominantly from Bangladesh, are not novel in India. The countries share a porous 4,096 km border, allowing easier crossings, although many segments are heavily policed. However, legal experts argue the current practices of forcibly relocating individuals without due process mark a disturbing shift in policy.
Reports indicate that more than 1,200 individuals may have been sent into Bangladesh during a recent surge of enforcement activity. Of those, Bangladeshi officials identified around 100 as Indian citizens and sent them back. In response, the Border Guard Bangladesh announced enhanced patrols to prevent such deportations. Despite mounting allegations, India has not publicly commented on the pushback incidents.
The clash of identities runs deep in Assam, deeply intertwined with historical migration patterns, religion, and the political agenda of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which emphasizes stringent measures against illegal immigration. The state’s National Register of Citizens (NRC), which lists individuals who arrived before an arbitrary cut-off date, was intended to clarify citizenship. Yet, its implementation has excluded nearly two million residents, many in limbo between detention camps and court appeals.
Banu's case is currently with the Supreme Court, emphasizing the growing anxiety among Assamese Muslims, who account for about a third of the state’s population and share ancestral connections to migrants dating back to British rule. Other accounts reflect similar fears, like that of Maleka Khatun, who remains stranded in Bangladesh after being sent there by police without any clarity about her situation or future.
The Assam government, including Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, has publicly stated the urgency of repatriating individuals declared as foreigners. Yet, lawyers argue that the recent relocations are a violation of established legal procedures, leading to the filing of petitions to halt roundups deemed unlawful.
Citizens like Rita Khatun, whose husband has faced a similar ordeal, stress the importance of due process, highlighting the trauma inflicted upon families torn apart by sudden government action. As these grievances come to light, affected individuals voice their frustrations, stating unequivocally, "We are not playthings... you can't toss them around as per your whims."
