Bangladesh Summons Indian Envoy Over Assam Chief Minister's Remarks on Migrant Pushbacks

Key facts

• Bangladesh summoned acting Indian High Commissioner Pawan Badhe on Thursday.
• Director General (South Asia) Ishrat Jahan conveyed Dhaka's protest at the foreign ministry after 5pm.
• The protest stems from an interview Himanta Biswa Sarma gave to ABP News on April 15.
• Sarma said Indian forces push Bangladeshis back at night where Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) is not present.
• He claimed 1.7 million 'infiltrators' were identified prima facie during Assam's National Register of Citizens process.
• Sarma stated there is no extradition treaty between India and Bangladesh for returning undocumented migrants.
• Bangladesh described the remarks as 'disparaging' and urged Indian leaders to refrain from such comments.

Diplomatic Protest Delivered

Bangladesh summoned acting Indian High Commissioner Pawan Badhe to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday afternoon to lodge a formal protest over remarks made by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. Director General (South Asia) of protest, a senior foreign ministry official confirmed. The summons came after Dhaka reviewed an interview Sarma gave to ABP News on April 15, in which he made what Bangladesh termed 'disparaging' statements about bilateral relations. The foreign ministry stated that public comments lacking evidence on such sensitive issues are unhelpful for ties between the two neighboring countries.

Sarma's Admission of Nighttime Pushbacks

In the interview, Sarma described the process of returning undocumented Bangladeshi migrants. He said that because there is no extradition treaty between India and Bangladesh, Indian authorities cannot formally hand over detainees. 'You cannot just go and hand them over, they do not accept,' he stated. When asked how migrants are sent back, Sarma replied: 'Taking advantage of the night's darkness, in places where the BDR [now BGB] is not present, we push those people back.' The interviewer expressed shock, and Sarma confirmed, 'Yes, that is how we do it.' He added that the Border Security Force (BSF) sometimes holds individuals for 10, 20, or even 40 days before finding an unguarded spot to push them across.

Bangladesh Rejects Claims, Urges Restraint

Dhaka completely rejected Sarma's claims, particularly regarding the alleged pushback of undocumented migrants. The foreign ministry emphasized that unresolved issues should be addressed through international norms and existing bilateral mechanisms, not through public statements. Bangladesh urged Indian political leaders to refrain from making comments that could affect relations between the two countries. was delivered after 5pm in the office of Director General Ishrat Jahan, with the acting envoy receiving the formal complaint.

Context of the National Register of Citizens

Sarma referred to Assam's National Register of Citizens (NRC) process, claiming that 1.7 million 'infiltrators' had been identified prima facie. He argued that if authorities tried to proceed officially, the matter would go through India's Ministry of External Affairs and then to Bangladesh, which, he said, often refused to accept them as citizens. 'Then what is the option open for us?' Sarma asked rhetorically, justifying the extrajudicial pushbacks. The NRC, finalized in 2019, aimed to identify illegal immigrants in Assam, but its implementation has been controversial.

Bilateral Ties Under Strain

The incident adds strain to India-Bangladesh relations, which have been generally cooperative under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government. Sarma's remarks touch on the sensitive issue of cross-border migration, a longstanding point of contention. Bangladesh's strong protest signals that Dhaka views such statements as undermining mutual trust. The foreign ministry's call for adherence to international norms and bilateral mechanisms reflects a desire to keep disputes within diplomatic channels.

What Comes Next

The Indian government has not yet issued an official response to the protest. Acting High back to New Delhi. Bangladesh has made clear that it expects Indian political leaders to avoid similar comments in the future. The incident may prompt discussions on the need for a formal extradition treaty, which both countries have lacked, to handle cross-border migration legally.

The bottom line

• Bangladesh formally protested Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's remarks by summoning acting Indian High Commissioner Pawan Badhe.
• Sarma admitted in an interview that Indian forces push undocumented Bangladeshis back at night where border guards are absent.
• He claimed 1.7 million 'infiltrators' were identified in Assam's NRC process, but no extradition treaty exists with Bangladesh.
• Dhaka rejected the claims as derogatory and urged Indian leaders to refrain from comments harming bilateral ties.
• The incident highlights the lack of a legal framework for returning undocumented migrants between India and Bangladesh.
• Bangladesh called for resolving such issues through international norms and existing bilateral mechanisms.