Identifying Bangladeshi & Rohingya Migrants Proves Difficult As Many Claim To Be From North-East States

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh has intensified its efforts to track Bangladeshi and Rohingya nationals living illegally in the state, but officials acknowledge that verifying their identity remains one of the biggest challenges.

The drive follows directives issued by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to districts for identifying and monitoring suspected illegal residents.

A joint police and administrative survey carried out in 2019 indicated the presence of nearly 10 lakh suspected infiltrators in the state. Officials say confirming the origin of such a large population, especially through their home districts in Bangladesh, will be a lengthy and complex process.

According to authorities, most illegal migrants try to pass themselves off as residents of northeastern states. They present Aadhaar cards as proof, but a large number of these documents are believed to be forged and obtained after illegal entry into India, often through agents operating in West Bengal, Assam, and Tripura. This makes verification from their actual native locations extremely difficult.

Even after successful identification, efforts to push them back across the border remain uncertain. Many deported individuals are reported to re-enter India within a few kilometres through porous border routes. In several instances, Bangladeshi agencies have refused to accept them as their citizens, creating major obstacles during repatriation attempts.

Police across districts are currently conducting fresh identification exercises under state government orders, amid concerns that the number of illegal migrants may have risen considerably over the past six years.

Officials say the state will need sustained coordination with central agencies and neighbouring border states to ensure effective detection, verification, and action against illegal infiltration.