Armed Standoffs Over Migrants Erupt on India’s Longest Border

India is actively removing Bangladeshi immigrants, citing illegal entry, while Bangladesh responds by reinforcing its border. This effort leaves many migrants caught between the two nations, increasing tension.

An Indian border guard was seen patrolling the area near Hakimpur in West Bengal last month. Repatriation efforts have seen Indian authorities rounding up individuals with Bangladeshi documents, or those undocumented but suspected of being Bangladeshi. These individuals are often deported at night.

Bangladesh criticizes India for bypassing formal repatriation processes. As a result, Bangladesh has bolstered its patrols to halt the inflow of migrants. Recently, in Durgapur, a Bangladeshi village, border guards detained a group that included a man, three women, and a child. They had traversed from West Bengal under the cover of darkness.

Fishermen spotted the migrants around 4 a.m. For nearly a day, they stayed in the buffer zone between the two nations as border officials from both sides convened. The event attracted hundreds of onlookers, including Motiar Rahman, a local resident who paddled across a narrow river to witness the situation.

Those people were standing at the bank of the river, which is inside Bangladesh, Rahman noted.

Bangladeshi guards accused Indian forces of pushing the undocumented individuals across the border. This ongoing conflict underscores the rising tension between the neighboring countries.