Bangladesh Urges India to Stop Unilateral Border Push-Ins

Individuals were left at Mandarbaria Char in the western Sundarbans near Shyamnagar, Satkhira. Photo: Collected

Bangladesh has urged India to immediately halt the unilateral push-in of individuals across the border, warning that such actions undermine mutual trust and could strain bilateral ties.

In a formal letter sent on May 8, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs called on Indian authorities to respect established repatriation protocols and avoid bypassing formal procedures when dealing with suspected Bangladeshi nationals.

“Unilateral push-ins fuel public resentment and are simply unacceptable,” said a diplomatic source. “Bangladesh will only accept individuals who are proven to be its citizens and repatriated through proper, legal channels.”

The government emphasised the importance of maintaining peace and stability along the shared border and cautioned that continuing such practices could jeopardise broader cooperation.

National Security Adviser Dr Khalilur Rahman reiterated the government's firm stance during a media briefing on May 7.

“We are verifying each case individually. Our position is clear—only verified Bangladeshi citizens will be accepted, and only through official procedures,” he said. “Informal push-ins are not an acceptable approach.”

The call for restraint and formal coordination comes amid media reports of recent push-ins along several points of the Indo-Bangladesh border. Bangladesh stressed that any cross-border issue must be handled with transparency and lawful engagement to preserve longstanding ties.