HRW accuses India of pushing Bengali Muslims into BD without due process

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has accused Indian authorities of forcibly expelling ethnic Bengali residents, mostly Muslims, from West Bengal into Bangladesh without following legal procedures.

In a statement issued recently, the global rights organisation said operations by India’s Border Security Force (BSF), along with attempts by the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) to block entry, have left dozens of families stranded in the “zero line” zone between the two countries.

HRW reported that the BGB has stopped 21 attempted pushbacks involving more than 200 people, including children, since 1 June across different border areas.

The organisation also referred to claims that West Bengal authorities under Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari have pursued a “detect, delete and deport” policy, which allegedly led to detention of hundreds of suspected undocumented migrants and forced around 5,000 people to return.

HRW Deputy Director for Asia Meenakshi Ganguly said Indian authorities were “cruelly dumping families into Bangladesh” or leaving them stranded at the border without respecting due process or basic rights.

The group said interviews with witnesses described BSF personnel moving groups at night and pushing them through gaps in barbed-wire fencing into Bangladeshi territory. In several cases, people were later allowed to return after Bangladeshi border guards refused entry.

HRW also highlighted tense incidents in Panchagarh, including a 75-hour standoff involving families, children, and border forces, as well as multiple cases where groups were left stranded between the two sides before being returned.

The organisation linked the current situation to broader citizenship verification drives and voter list revisions in India, which it said have left millions at risk of exclusion or detention.

HRW urged India to stop unlawful expulsions, ensure due process, allow legal appeals, and coordinate with Bangladesh on citizenship verification. It also warned that leaving migrants stranded without food, shelter, or medical care could violate international human rights standards.