Undocumented Bangladeshis stopped at Hakimpur border: Is SIR drive triggering reverse migration?
Hundreds of undocumented Bangladeshi nationals, including women and children, were intercepted by the BSF at the Hakimpur check post in North 24 Parganas on Monday while trying to return home amid fears linked to the ongoing SIR of electoral rolls. Many admitted paying brokers around Rs 10,000 each to enter India and worked without documents in areas like Rajarhat and Salt Lake. None carried passports or visas. The exodus has eased pressure on jobs and public services.
New Delhi: Hundreds of Bangladeshi nationals, including women and children, trying to cross the border to return home, were reportedly intercepted by the BSF at the Hakimpur check post near Swarupnagar in North 24 Parganas on Monday morning. It is believed that the exodus is linked to the growing fears triggered by the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
It has come to light that there is a rising exodus of undocumented Bangladeshi nationals from West Bengal, with many groups gathering at the Hakimpur BSF outpost in an attempt to go back to Bangladesh. The reverse migration is significant. The Election Commission's SIR exercise has apparently led to the reverse migration, reports say. And this has prompted heightened security checks amid growing concerns that shady elements might use the situation to sneak out of the country.
The undocumented Bangladeshi nationals are reportedly fleeing because they fear they might be taken into custody and face legal action, some sources said.
Largest single group intercepted so far this year
On Monday morning, personnel of the BSF’s 143rd Battalion spotted the movement of some people while patrolling a riverine stretch of the border. They detained the group for questioning. This is the largest single group of suspected undocumented Bangladeshi nationals intercepted so far this year, according to some reports. The number of Bangladeshis at Hakimpur border outpost increased to over 500 by Tuesday afternoon, BSF officials were quoted by The Times of India.
Hundreds of migrants reportedly revealed on camera that they each paid brokers around Rs 10,000 to slip into India. They worked in areas like Rajarhat, Birati, Madhyamgram, New Town and Salt Lake without any papers, and are now grappling to make their way back home. None of them carried passports, visas, or any form of identification. These men and women used to work mostly as domestic helpers, daily-wage labourers or construction workers.
Earlier in November, BSF stopped as many as 94 Bangladeshis trying to cross back through the Tarali border under Hakimpur.
What do the locals feel
With the EC’s SIR campaign stepping up scrutiny, many local residents has expressed relief. They believe that the drive has caused mass exodus of undocumented Bangladeshis. This, they say, will reduce competition for jobs and also reduce the burden on public services. Trains such as the Bonga Local and Hasnabad Local — once packed with migrant workers — are now reportedly visibly less crowded. This shift is being appreciated by neighbourhoods. The residents hope that the trend will continue, and will ease pressures on local infrastructure and resources.