Tripura Continues to Tackle Illegal Influx as 28 Bangladesh Nationals and 2 Rohingyas Are Arrested
Agartala: The influx of illegal entrants from Bangladesh into Tripura remains a critical concern as security personnel arrested 28 more Bangladeshi nationals, including a tout, and two Rohingyas over the weekend. The arrests highlight the ongoing challenge of managing illegal migration in the region.
On Saturday night, Government Railway Police (GRP) apprehended the Bangladeshi nationals at the Agartala railway station. They were attempting to board a train destined for other Indian states via Guwahati. The individuals, aged between 19 and 40, hailed from Bangladesh’s Chapainawabganj district in the Rajshahi Division. Despite Rajshahi’s lack of a direct border with Tripura, many from the region have been found entering the state recently.
Tripura shares an 856 km border with Bangladesh’s Chittagong and Sylhet divisions. In a parallel operation, Border Security Force (BSF) personnel, along with Tripura Police, arrested five additional Bangladeshi nationals and two Rohingyas from West Tripura and North Tripura districts.
The BSF has intensified efforts to curb illegal migration and dismantle the network of touts operating in the border areas, following directives from Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha. The fencing along the India-Bangladesh border in Tripura is nearly complete, with 95 percent of the 856 km border already secured and 27.5 km still under construction.
In recent months, more than 150 Bangladeshi nationals and 32 Rohingyas have been arrested by GRP, BSF, and Tripura Police for illegal entry into India. Most were seeking employment and attempted to travel to other states by train or bus.
This increase in illegal migration follows recent violent unrest in Bangladesh, which has resulted in over 170 deaths and more than a thousand injuries due to protests over quota reforms.
