India migrant evictions seed fear in Bangladesh border towns

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NEW DELHI: A growing push by India to deport undocumented migrants has seeded deep fear and sparked rising tensions in border communities across southwestern Bangladesh.

Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, authorities have escalated pushback efforts, an initiative that critics claim disproportionately targets Bengali-speaking Muslims. Local anxieties have intensified significantly since the Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party secured power in neighboring West Bengal for the first time last month.

The campaign has caused a diplomatic standoff, with Bangladeshi border guards actively boosting patrols to block unauthorized entries. While Dhaka is willing to accept confirmed citizens, guards have thwarted at least 35 unverified pushback attempts since June 5.

Conversely, Indian authorities maintain they only deport individuals proved to have crossed illegally. Meanwhile, the aggressive operations leave many undocumented families stranded in limbo along the narrow buffer zone separating the two countries. Crucial identification documents remain missing for many due to poverty and history.

Photo Credits: AFP