"Forced Crossings: Indian Citizens Allegedly Sent to Bangladesh in Controversial Crackdown"

Shona Banu, a 58-year-old resident of Assam, shares her harrowing experience of being pushed into Bangladesh along with others, highlighting a troubling pattern of forced deportations by Indian officials. Numerous cases resemble hers, prompting criticism of authorities for violating due process while attempting to address concerns over illegal immigration from Bangladesh.

Shona Banu still shudders when she thinks of the past few days. The 58-year-old, a resident of Barpeta district in India's north-eastern state of Assam, recalls being summoned to the local police station on May 25, where she and around 13 others were coerced to cross the border into Bangladesh at gunpoint. Despite living in Assam her entire life, she has been fighting to prove her Indian citizenship amidst accusations of being an "illegal immigrant" from Bangladesh.

"They pushed me over at gunpoint. I spent two days without food or water in the middle of a field teeming with mosquitoes and leeches," Ms. Banu tearfully recounted. After her ordeal in no man's land, she was taken to what seemed to be an old prison in Bangladesh. After two days there, Indian officials allegedly met her and the others upon their return home.

The motivation for Ms. Banu's treatment remains unclear. However, reports indicate a recent spate of similar incidents where authorities in Assam have forcibly sent individuals deemed foreigners across the border, spurring significant concern over human rights violations. At least six families have reported similar abductions of their members, all Muslims, under the suspicion of being "illegal Bangladeshis," amid a crackdown purportedly directed by the Indian government.

The situation has grown dire, with Bangladesh officials claiming that over 1,200 individuals, not solely from Assam but including other states, were "illegally pushed" into their nation in May 2023. The Border Guard Bangladesh has since ramped up patrols along the border. Tensions continue to run high in Assam, a state that borders Muslim-majority Bangladesh and has long wrestled with the complexities of citizenship and ethnic identity.

The Bharatiya Janata Party, in control both in Assam and nationally, has emphasized an aggressive stance against illegal immigration, further complicating the lives of Assam's Muslim population. The National Register of Citizens (NRC) has become a focal point of this struggle, with significant numbers excluded from the list of verified citizens, leading many to live in fear of detention and deportation.

Legal experts express concern that recent deportations are occurring without due process, citing violations of cooperation protocols that should govern cross-border actions. One lawyer filed a petition urging the Supreme Court to halt what he termed a “forceful and illegal pushback policy.”

As Ms. Banu's case remains pending in court, she and others live with the uncertainty of being targeted again. Similar stories emerge from others like Maleka Khatun, who languishes in Bangladesh without a support network, highlighting the distress faced by those caught in the crossfire of political decisions regarding nationality and immigration.

The emotional toll on families of those affected is profound, with individuals like Rita Khatun seeking clarity on missing loved ones, and others questioning their rights to citizenship despite possessing legitimate documentation. The human consequences of political mechanisms continue to unfold, raising pressing questions about identity, legality, and compassion.