Illegal migration, cross-border activities key concerns along India-Bangladesh border: MHA
On July 26, 2022, Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said 2,399 Bangladeshi nationals had been found using fraudulently obtained Indian documents in the last five years.
FollowUnion Home Ministry has revealed that illegal migration and cross-border activities are major challenges along the India-Bangladesh border, which is marked by a "high degree of porosity".
It is reportedly said that the total length of the India-Bangladesh border is 4,096.7 km, of which 3,145 km has been covered by physical fencing and the remaining is planned to be covered by physical and non-physical barriers.
In an annual report, the UnionHome Ministry said, "The Indo-Bangladesh border is marked by a high degree of porosity and the checking of illegal cross border activities and illegal migration from Bangladesh to India have been major challenges."
Also read:Â 9 girls, including POCSO survivors, missing from shelter home
On July 26, 2022, Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said 2,399 Bangladeshi nationals had been found using fraudulently obtained Indian documents in the last five years.
He also said the central government had asked state governments to take prompt steps to identify illegal Bangladeshi migrants staying in India.
Rai said the states had also been advised to share the particulars of those illegal migrants, who had wrongfully obtained Aadhaar cards, for appropriate legal action.
On November 16,2016, former Union minister of state for home Kiren Rijiju had informed the Parliament that "there are around 20 million illegal Bangladeshi migrants staying in India".
Also read:Â As air quality improves in Delhi, officials lift ban on BS-4 diesel, BS-3 petrol vehicles
To curb infiltration, smuggling and other anti-national activities from across the India-Bangladesh border, the government has undertaken the construction of a fence along it, according to the annual report of the home ministry.
"In order to prevent illegal migration and illegal activities including anti-national activities from across the border, the government of India had sanctioned the construction of border fencing with floodlights in two phases," it said, adding that all the ongoing works are to be completed by March 2024.
The non-physical barrier will comprise technological solutions, while sanction has also been accorded to replace the old design fence with a new design fence.
The report further stated that there have been some problems in the construction of fencing in certain stretches on this border due to riverine and low-lying areas, habitations within 150 yards of the border, pending land acquisition cases and protests by the border population, which have delayed the completion of the project, the report said.
So far 3,750.87 km of border roads have been constructed out of the sanctioned length of 4,223.04 km. The ongoing work is to be completed by March 2024.
The government has agreed to construct floodlights along the India-Bangladesh border in West Bengal, Meghalaya, Assam, Mizoram, and Tripura. 2,681.99 km of border floodlighting work has been completed out of the total of 3,077.549 km authorised.
(With inputs from PTI)
