116 Bangladeshis detected in Meghalaya since 2018: Home Minister

Shillong: Meghalaya had detected 116 Bangladesh illegal infiltration/migrants between 2018 and 2021, home minister Lahkmen Rymbui informed the House on Thursday.

Rymbui was responding to a question raised by MLA Winnerson D Sangma.

Rymbui informed the House three districts have the Superintendent of Police (Infiltration). He informed that the total number of infiltration posts in the state is 30.

Rymbui provided the following information regarding illegal Bangladeshis: 2018-36; 2019-18; 2020–37; 2021 (up to 31/8/2021): 25.

Rymbui also informed about migrants from other states without proper documents, telling the house that over 16,000 migrants had been pushed back to Assam.
Of the 116 Bangladesh nationals, 44 are currently in jail, while 72 have been deported.

“I would like to know whether the government has initiated action to identify the vulnerable areas through which infiltration is happening?” asked Sangma, to which Rymbui said the state government is doing that on an as-where-needed basis.

Mawsynram MLA HM Shangpliang also drew the attention of the House relating to an important matter on an infiltration camp located in Hatmawdon in Mawsynram constituency. He said that this camp is in the marketplace and a few kilometres from the international border.

“I had apprised the DGP about the situation that the police personnel manning there are sitting idle, and there are hardly any immigrants caught, only rare cases. Instead of wasting all these infiltration camps, I had suggested that it would be more beneficial to open outposts,” said Shangpliang.

He added that the DGP would move the proposal to the government. The Mawsynram MLA said he was surprised with the government’s response recently that there was no plan for an outpost.

Shangpliang narrated how during the winter season, hundreds of Bangladeshi nationals would come in and cut away all betel but from the plantation on the side of Meghalaya.

“They would make swift movements, chop betel nuts and take them away. We require police protection of these plantations of our people. I have justified my claim that instead of this camp, it is more beneficial to have an outpost,” Shangpliang urged Rymbui, who said he would look into it.

MLA Saleng Sangma also said that the government should be concerned about ‘lakhs of Rohingya refugees’ in the state.

He said the government should strengthen the border areas to check the infiltrators. He suggested that pillar posts should also be set up so that there be proper demarcation.