BSF’s Unilateral ‘Push-In’ and Nationwide Persecution of Bengali Speakers: New Strains in Dhaka-Delhi Relations

A fresh wave of severe tension and strain has emerged in the bilateral relations between South Asian neighbors Bangladesh and India, triggered by the Indian Border Security Force’s (BSF) unilateral ‘push-in’ operations (forcibly pushing people into Bangladesh) along the borders. Disregarding international law and human rights norms, the trend of pushing Bengali-speaking Muslims into Bangladesh under the cover of darkness with border lights turned off has taken an unprecedented turn following recent domestic political shifts in India. However, these unethical attempts by the BSF are being repeatedly thwarted by the unprecedented and joint resistance of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and local border residents.

Amidst such a volatile situation, the high-level BGB-BSF Director General-level border conference, which commenced in New Delhi on June 8, concluded today. In this bilateral summit, bringing border killings down to zero, stopping smuggling, curbing the trafficking of gold, drugs, and weapons, and preventing unilateral incidents like ‘push-ins’ received the highest priority and underwent extensive discussion.

For a long time, allegations of harassment and persecution of Bengali speakers- particularly Bengali Muslims- as ‘illegal foreigners’ have been surface-level in various Indian states, including Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Delhi, Chhattisgarh, and Andhra Pradesh. This harassment has escalated significantly due to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) National Register of Citizens (NRC) drive and its aggressive nationalist political agenda.

In gross violation of human rights, incidents of Bengali laborers being beaten to death have also occurred in various states. Among these, the mob-lynching deaths of Ramnarayan Baghel in Kerala, Manzur Alam in Andhra Pradesh, and Jewel Rana in Odisha have sparked widespread international concern.

Following the last general election in India, the state politics of West Bengal underwent a major shift, with the BJP winning on a fierce anti-infiltration agenda. After the BJP came to power in the state, hardliner Suvendu Adhikari assumed office as Chief Minister. Since taking office, he has been making provocative political statements, vowing to deport alleged ‘infiltrators’ to Bangladesh, and has already claimed to have sent back over 800 individuals- a claim the BGB has completely rejected as baseless and politically motivated.

The direct impact of West Bengal’s political reality has manifested on the borders. Over the past two weeks, the BSF has been recklessly attempting push-ins through various border points in Bangladesh’s Nilphamari, Thakurgaon, Lalmonirhat, Naogaon, Panchagarh, Jhenaidah, Netrokona, and Meherpur districts.

The most alarming incident occurred on the night of June 8, when the BSF attempted to forcibly push over a hundred people into Bangladesh using trucks across eight different locations in the Jamalpur-Kurigram border area. However, the BSF was forced to retreat in the face of fierce resistance from the BGB and local villagers on night patrol. Prior to this, Indian border guards failed in similar attempts at the Harivasa border in Panchagarh and the Haripur border in Thakurgaon, where dozens of people, including women and children, were stranded at the zero line for days before being taken back by India on June 7.

Diplomatic and border sources confirmed that there is a well-defined, legally recognized international process for standard repatriation or push-backs. This requires verifying the nationality of the concerned individual, establishing consular communication, preparing travel documents, and executing a mutually consented formal handover. Bangladesh has consistently clarified its stance: if there are genuine Bangladeshi citizens residing illegally in India, Bangladesh will readily accept them after proper verification, provided India shares a formal list.

However, flouting all rules and regulations, the BSF is forcibly pushing people across the border under the cover of night without any identity verification. This directly violates international human rights law and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) core principle of non-refoulement, which dictates that no person should be returned to a country where they face threats to their life, freedom, or security.

Taking advantage of the fact that India is not a signatory to the 1951 UN Refugee Convention, New Delhi frequently bypasses these international standards. In contrast, Bangladesh, bound by international norms, has set a monumental humanitarian example by sheltering over a million Rohingya refugees.

Expressing grave dissatisfaction over these unethical push-in attempts, the Government of Bangladesh has already sent 12 to 13 diplomatic protest notes (Note Verbale) to India.

Bangladesh’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Shama Obayed Islam, voiced a strict stance on the matter- ‘Unilateral push-in attempts without following due process are completely unacceptable. The BGB is robustly resisting these infiltrations. Such unilateral, unethical actions could severely damage ongoing efforts to restore and normalize bilateral relations. India must respect and follow established bilateral and legal mechanisms.’

Defense and security expert Major General (Retd.) Emdadul Islam noted that to resolve this crisis, Bangladesh must significantly scale up its diplomatic maneuvers in New Delhi and Kolkata, and intensify bilateral dialogues to curb provocative behaviors from the neighbor. He also emphasized that these ongoing border human rights violations should be monitored by the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

On the other hand, Dr. Zahed Ur Rahman, Information and Broadcasting Adviser to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, views the push-in issue as a manifestation of India’s internal political realities. He expressed hope that although this is a deep political challenge, it will not lead to a permanent, long-term fracture in Dhaka-Delhi ties, provided India shows respect for bilateral protocols.

As an international media platform dedicated to promoting a culture of peace and nonviolence, Pressenza believes that while safeguarding borders is a sovereign right of any nation, it must never come at the cost of basic human rights, ethnic persecution, and the spirit of international law. Forcibly pushing masses of people across borders without identity verification not only damages good-neighborly relations but also inflicts deep wounds on global humanity. For the sake of sustainable peace and stability in South Asia, the international civil society calls upon India to renounce aggressive political narratives and adhere to established legal and humanitarian processes.

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The Writer:

Halim Mohammad: Senior Journalist and Contributor, Pressenza- Dhaka Bureau.