The rising influx of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants into India, driven by escalating political and economic instability in Bangladesh, is raising serious concerns for security and intelligence agencies. This migration is not only altering regional demographics but also straining public resources and posing significant national security threats, with many immigrants exploiting welfare schemes and using forged documents to access financial and governmental systems.
To counter this, the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has intensified its operations to dismantle networks facilitating illegal immigration. “We are targeting the key operators responsible for settling illegal immigrants into India and assisting them in securing documents through fraudulent means,” a senior ATS officer said on the condition of anonymity.
The Maharashtra ATS has been actively registering cases with the Mumbai Police and ensuring that fraudulent government-issued documents, such as Pan Card,Driving licenses, ration cards, and other subsidies obtained through forged paperwork, are cancelled. This step aims to restrict illegal immigrants to stay in India.Officials reveal that despite efforts to identify illegal Bangladeshi nationals, register cases and make arrests, security agencies are facing significant challenges. One of the most pressing hurdles is the prolonged judicial process. Convictions under the Foreigners Act and subsequent deportations often stretch over a decade, enabling these illegal immigrants to remain in the country and exploit government welfare schemes meant for Indian citizens. This delay is exacerbating the problem and allowing many unauthorized individuals to slip through the cracks.
In response,the ATS has shifted its focus and issued notices to banks linked with identified Bangladeshi nationals, who are recognized as illegal immigrants. These notices provide detailed information about the individuals and expose their use of forged documents to open bank accounts. As a result, the ATS is ensuring the immediate freezing of these accounts. A central notification has also been circulated to all banks nationwide, effectively preventing these individuals from accessing banking services across the country.
The ATS has also reached out to the ration department to prevent the misuse of ration cards and welfare schemes, which could result in a loss of subsidized food meant for citizens includes flagship programs such as subsidies under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY), Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY), Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY), Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), pension schemes, mutual funds, stock market investments, and the Atmanirbhar Bharat Rojgar Yojana (ABRY).
Through these measures, the ATS continues to intensify its efforts to combat the growing issue of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants by targeting the financial networks linked to these illegal immigrants
Furthermore, notices have been issued to property owners renting out spaces to illegal immigrants Similarly, the Maharashtra ATS has alerted the Regional Transport Office (RTO) to cancel the driving licenses of Bangladeshi immigrants involved in these illegal activities. Additionally, mobile companies have been issued notices informing them that SIM cards were issued using forged documents
To the cancellation of other government documents, like water Bill,Light Bill,LPG cylinder which are often easier to revoke. “With strong evidence, we have managed to cancel these documents in several cases. Even if challenged in court, the chances of reinstatement are slim since the documents were obtained fraudulently,” the officer explained.
The influence of external powers, particularly Pakistan and China, in Bangladesh cannot be ignored. With the political situation in flux, it is crucial to address the security risks posed by illegal immigrants, particularly in urban hubs like Mumbai,” the officer added.
The official further revealed that the situation has become particularly challenging for the agencies because, in any investigation involving illegal Bangladeshis, obtaining official data from Unique Identification Authority of India ((UIDAI)) requires a lengthy process. First, all relevant case details must be submitted to the Law and Judiciary Department, where security agencies must justify their need for the information. Following this, approval from the Maharashtra government is required before a request can be made to the high court to obtain data from UIDAI. This procedure must be followed for each case.
The current procedural bottlenecks have significantly hindered investigations into illegal Bangladeshi immigrants. To counter these delays, the ATS as well as Mumbai Police “I” Branch,” plays a critical role in monitoring illegal Bangladeshi immigrants—from arrest to deportation.
Over the past three years, the Mumbai Police have arrested approximately 696 Bangladeshi nationals but managed to deport only 222 due to delays in the judicial process. According to data from the “I Branch”, 181 Bangladeshi nationals were arrested in Mumbai this year (up to September 2024), with 133 deportations. In 2023, the police arrested 368 Bangladeshi nationals but deported only 68 while in 2022, 147 arrests resulted in just 21 deportations.
