SHILLONG, Sep 29: As the situation in Bangladesh remains fluid, the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) on Sunday pitched for a collaborative effort among Meghalaya government, Border Security Force (BSF), traditional bodies and pressure groups to keep illegal migration of people at bay.
“We have seen the ongoing turmoil (in Bangladesh). Although the country is on the road to stability, yet there are numerous instances of conflicts against the minorities on a daily basis. Such incidents create a fear psychosis and there is a tendency among people to seek refuge in India by crossing the porous border with West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya and Tripura,” KSU general secretary Donald V Thabah told reporters.
There have been several incidents in the recent past when Bangladeshi nationals were apprehended by the BSF and the Meghalaya police for illegally entering the state.
“When we are yet to achieve our goal which is the implementation of the ILP (Inner Line Permit) or the MRSSA (Meghalaya Residents Safety & Security Act), we feel the BSF should be extra vigilant given the prevailing situation in Bangladesh,” Thabah said.
He categorically stated that there should be proper coordination among BSF, police, state machineries, traditional institutions and pressure groups, not just in the border areas but across the state.
“We should be cautious at this juncture,” he added.
Acting on a tip-off from the BSF, the personnel of ZigZag Police Station apprehended 10 Bangladeshi nationals when they were coming from the direction of Purakhasia.
Talking about the incident, Thabah said, “We acknowledged their efforts but we feel they should intensify their checking and patrolling as the border is porous and there are ‘weak spots’. The BSF needs to step up their activities in thwarting attempts of infiltration”.
The KSU leader said the state government should be very watchful on the movement of outsiders. The police need to be extra cautious so the infiltrators could be detected and deported, he said.
Recalling the days of civil unrest leading to the collapse of the government in Bangladesh, Thabah said the KSU had put all its units in the border villages on a high alert to detect any attempts of infiltration. He said it has still continued.
In this regard, he said various units of the KSU held meetings with the BSF of various sectors to work in collaboration and thwart attempts of illegal border-crossing by Bangladeshi nationals.
He said infiltration into Meghalaya takes place from all sides, including from Assam.
“There is also migration of people from certain states of the country to Meghalaya. This might also affect the demography here,” he added.
