India Plans to Repatriate Around 500 Bangladeshis from Kashmir

Indian authorities are taking steps to repatriate Bangladeshi nationals identified as allegedly residing illegally in the Kashmir region, with around 500 people reportedly expected to be sent back to Bangladesh in the coming days.

On October 5, a group of 150 Bangladeshi nationals was transported from Srinagar to Bagdogra in West Bengal aboard a special Indian Air Force aircraft. Upon arrival, they were handed over to the Border Security Force (BSF) for the repatriation process, according to Indian media reports.

The 150 people were among Bangladeshi nationals identified during a survey conducted by Indian authorities across the Kashmir Valley. Indian media reports said the survey identified around 500 to 600 Bangladeshi nationals allegedly residing illegally in the region.

In addition, another group of 150 Bangladeshi nationals was scheduled to be moved to Bagdogra on October 7 through a similar process for repatriation, according to officials.

The repatriation process follows the formation in May of a High-Level Committee on Demographic Change by India’s Ministry of Home Affairs. The committee was established to study demographic changes resulting from illegal immigration and other factors and to recommend policy and administrative measures to address them.

The committee also received information from the Jammu and Kashmir administration regarding Bangladeshi nationals and Rohingya residing in the Union Territory as part of its study of demographic changes.

Source: Defence Research Forum (DRF)