Online Desk 

Bangladesh has expressed concern over India's alleged practice of forcibly sending people identified as Bangladeshi nationals across the border, commonly referred to as "push-ins." Dhaka maintains that any repatriation process should be carried out in accordance with international law, human rights principles, and existing bilateral mechanisms. However, officials say the expected response from New Delhi has yet to materialize.

The issue is expected to be one of the key topics of discussion at a meeting between the directors general of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and Border Security Force (BSF) on Monday. Bangladesh has already formally urged India to address the matter through established repatriation procedures.

Diplomatic sources note that Bangladeshi nationals have long been returned from countries in North America, Europe, and the Middle East through internationally recognized legal processes. In contrast, recent attempts to identify and push Bengali-speaking individuals across the India-Bangladesh border as Bangladeshi citizens have raised concerns regarding human rights and international norms.

A senior official at the Foreign Ministry said Bangladesh had proposed bilateral consular discussions on the matter long ago, but India has yet to respond. According to the official, if a country's citizens are found to be residing illegally abroad, they should be repatriated through internationally accepted procedures—a principle Bangladesh fully supports.

Citizenship Verification Remains a Challenge

Government sources said India has so far provided Bangladesh with a list of approximately 2,800 individuals. However, many names reportedly appear multiple times, while information related to hundreds of individuals remains incomplete, slowing down the verification process.

Bangladeshi officials argue that citizenship cannot be confirmed solely on the basis of a person's name. Proper verification requires addresses, family records, and other supporting information, much of which has not been supplied.

Dhaka has also raised concerns over the alleged denial of consular access to individuals detained in various Indian states. Officials emphasize that consular access is recognized under international law and protected by the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations.

Formal Protest Lodged with India

Last week, Bangladesh submitted a formal protest note to the High Commission of India in Bangladesh. The note stated that forcing people across the border without due legal process and human rights protections could undermine mutual trust and border stability between the two neighboring countries.

The protest further stressed that all repatriation procedures should follow internationally accepted standards, bilateral agreements, and human rights principles. Bangladesh also called for an immediate halt to such practices.

Human Rights Concerns Intensify

Recent allegations involving the forced removal of various groups, including members of the Rohingya community, have also drawn international criticism. Human rights bodies affiliated with the United Nations and other global advocacy groups have described such actions as a matter of concern.

According to observers, sensitive border-related issues require careful adherence to international law and humanitarian values. Failure to do so could negatively affect bilateral relations as well as regional stability.