India has called on Bangladesh to accelerate the verification of over 2,360 individuals believed to be Bangladeshi nationals currently held in India, many of whom have already completed their jail sentences but cannot be deported due to pending confirmation of their nationality.
"We have asked the Bangladeshi side to verify their nationality. We have a pending list of upwards of 2,360 people who are required to be deported," said Randhir Jaiswal, Spokesperson for the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), during a regular press briefing in New Delhi on Thursday.
He emphasized that several of these individuals have been awaiting deportation for nearly five years. “Many of them have completed their jail terms, and in many cases, nationality verification is still pending since 2020. So, almost five years have passed,” Jaiswal said.
The MEA urged Dhaka to expedite the process to facilitate the return of those found to be Bangladeshi citizens. “They must expedite this process,” he reiterated.
Jaiswal clarified that individuals found to be staying illegally in India — irrespective of nationality — would be dealt with according to Indian law. “Foreigners who are staying in India illegally, whether they happen to be Bangladeshi or any other nationality, will be dealt with as per law,” he said.
Responding to India’s request, Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain on Wednesday said Bangladesh is in communication with New Delhi and is processing the list provided through the appropriate channels.
"The Indian side has given Bangladesh a list and we are verifying it through the Ministry of Home Affairs," Hossain confirmed.
He added that Bangladesh would examine each case individually and only accept those for whom proof of Bangladeshi citizenship is established.
On the broader issue of undocumented cross-border migration and reported “push-ins,” Adviser Hossain stated that discussions with India are ongoing and being handled through agreed bilateral mechanisms.
“They have conveyed their position to some extent and we have explained ours,” he said. “We are trying to make them understand that this is not right,” he added, referencing a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) governing such cases.
India has long grappled with illegal migration from neighboring countries, with Bangladesh frequently cited in political and legal discourse. Deportations require confirmation from the home country, but verification delays often leave detainees in prolonged limbo.
Both nations have an SOP in place to address cross-border movement, particularly along the shared 4,096-kilometre border, one of the longest in the world.
