A weeklong crisis about the 213 illegal Bangladeshi migrants has finally been resolved for the time being. Illegal migration from Bangladesh is not a new security threat; in fact, it is continuously on the rise. Though the tension dissipated after allegations, counter allegations and diplomatic measures were employed, the basic problem of illegal migration persists. It seems that India does not have any effective counter to the migration menace on the eastern border.   

The current problem started with efforts by Bangladeshi migrants to illegally enter Indian territory. The Indian Border Security Force (BSF) apprehended and sent them back to Bangladesh. The Bangladesh Rifles (BR) refused to accept the immigrants as Bangladeshi citizens and blamed India for pushing Indian Muslims into Bangladeshi territory. After providing evidence of their Bangladeshi citizenry, given by the migrants themselves, India proposed a joint verification of their nationality but the BR refused this, leading to mobilization of forces on both sides of the border. Finally, diplomatic pressure enlisted by India compelled the BR to accept the 213 migrants as Bangladeshi citizens. This episode converted the poor migrants into stateless people for a week, which is a common feature in all border disputes, while straining Indo-Bangladesh relations on a trivial issue.  

The incident highlighted India’s concern over illegal migration. In January 2003, while addressing the conference of chief secretaries and senior police officials from the states, the Home Minister LK Advani called for a drive against illegal migrants all over the country. Since the emergence of Bangladesh as an independent nation Bangladeshis have been illegally entering India for employment and betterment of their lives. They have settled down in the Northeastern states, especially Assam and Bengal, and metropolitan cities like Delhi and Mumbai. According to official Indian estimates there are more than 15 million illegal Bangladeshi citizens in India. This demographic invasion has not only changed the socio-cultural composition of the population, but also caused economic and environmental pressures and become a political and security predicament.

There are various reasons aggravating the problem of unlawful migration from Bangladesh that need highlighting.

• Due to ethnic resemblance of the populations with similar cultural, linguistic and physical features, migration across the border is a common and easier practice in the Indian sub-continent. During communal tensions, India provides asylum for non-Muslim Bangladeshis.   

• The uneven development and regular occurrence of natural calamities like floods and droughts exacerbates this phenomenon; according to official reckoning, 18-20 million people are displaced by floods in Bangladesh every year.

• Politicization of migration complicates this problem. Till the students-based agitation against outsiders was started by the All Assam Students Union (AASU) in Assam, the Union Government had ignored the issue. Some political parties used the migrant population as their vote banks by providing them ration cards, while others were interested in giving a communal colour to the problem to serve their political agenda.

Migration has emerged as a significant internal and external security threat, and has to be tackled by a dual approach. 

It should be remembered that India shares nearly four thousand kilometres of common borders with Bangladesh; a hard approach would only vitiate the atmosphere.  Taking Bangladesh into confidence in sorting out border disputes and making some trade concessions would help. In the long run, helping Bangladesh overcome its population problem, large-scale unemployment and vicious circle of environmental degradation would make things easier. At the same time India should concentrate on rigorous border management to avoid giving the impression of being a soft state.

At the domestic level India should deal firmly with illegal migrants and carry out strikes on militant bases in the Northeast. A legal and strategic approach should be combined with its practical dimensions. Providing identity cards to Indian citizens can be useful, but is not adequate. State-Centre coordination is critical in this regard. In the larger national interests, the ruling and opposition parties should avoid politicizing the issue.

At present, the Khalida Zia government in Bangladesh is whipping up anti-India sentiments to disguise its domestic failures; Pakistan supported Islamic fundamentalism is taking roots in Bangladesh; and, larger nations like China and Pakistan are using countries like Bangladesh in their anti-India strategy. India’s skills as a regional power lie in winning over its small neighbours without use of military power.