Mail News Service
New Delhi, Mar 21 : There are reports of Bangladeshi nationals having settled in India without valid travel documents. As entry of such Bangaladeshi nationals into the country is clandestine and surreptitious, it is not possible to have a correct estimate of such illegal immigrants living in the country. A number of Bangladeshi nationals who have entered into the country on valid travel documents have been found to be overstaying. As per information available, 28,667 Bangladeshi nationals were found to be overstaying as on 31st December,
2010. Police authorities in the Stats/ Union Territories and other law enforcement agencies are aware of the issues of illegal immigration and they maintain a strict vigil on the activities of such Bangladeshi nationals. A number of initiatives have been taken by the Government to prevent/curb infiltration across the border from Bangladesh, which also include:-
(i) Effective domination of the border by carrying out round the clock surveillance of the borders by Border Security Force.
(ii) Construction of border fencing, roads and floodlighting.
(iii) Setting up of more Border Out Posts (BOPs) along Indo-Bangladesh border.
(iv) Induction of hi-tech surveillance equipment including night navigation devices.
Central Government is vested with powers to deport a foreign national under section 3(2)© of the Foreigners Act, 1946. These powers to identify and deport illegally staying foreign nationals, including Bangladeshi nationals, have also been delegated to the State Governments/ UT Administrations. Detection and deportation of such illegal immigrants is a continuous process. A revised procedure for detection and deportation of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants was communicated to the State Governments/ Union Territory Administrations in November, 2009, which was partially modified in February, 2011. The procedure includes sending back then and there, the illegal immigrants who are intercepted at the border while entering India unauthorisedly.
This was stated by Shri Mullappally Ramachandran, Minister of State of Home Affairs in written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.
Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/steps-taken-to-stop-illegal-immigration-from-bangladesh/
