Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Majhi on Monday expressed the state government’s resolve to initiate steps for the deportation of illegal immigrants from Bangladesh in accordance with the due process of law.
Majhi, who was on a maiden visit to the coastal Kendrapara district after the BJP government assumed power in 2024, said, “The local police need to work in coordination with central agencies to tackle the tricky issue of illegal immigration.”
While reviewing the implementation of government programmes in the district, the CM directed the local administration in general and the police in particular to identify the unlawful settlers from across the border and initiate steps for their deportation as per the provisions of the Foreigners Act.
“All infiltrators—whether from Bangladesh or any other country—will be dealt with sternly. The state government is following a zero-tolerance policy towards foreigners settling here without valid documents, as they pose a threat to India’s security,” CM Majhi told reporters.
It may be recalled here that Chief Minister Majhi, who holds the Home portfolio, had told the Assembly last March that 3,738 Bangladeshi infiltrators illegally staying in the state have been identified.
Kendrapara, with 1,649 illegal Bangladeshi immigrants, has the highest number of infiltrators, followed by 1,112 in Jagatsinghpur, 655 in Malkangiri, 199 in Bhadrak, 106 in Nabarangpur, and 17 in Bhubaneswar.
In the aftermath of religious persecution, Bangladeshi nationals infiltrated into Odisha both before and after India attained independence. The scale of infiltration into the state became more pronounced during the Bangla Liberation War in 1971, an official said.
As per the refugee resettlement policy of the then central government, as many as 1,57,432 Bangladeshi settlers were rehabilitated in 11 districts of the state, and they are enjoying the rights accorded to Indian citizens.
Malkangiri district, located at the southern tip of the state, is home to 1,04,233 Bangladeshi refugees, followed by 46,848 in Nabarangpur, 4,653 in Khurda, 441 in Kendrapara, 379 in Jajpur, 304 in Rayagada, 200 in Bhadrak, 194 in Koraput, 90 in Kalahandi, 75 in Balasore, and 15 in Angul.
It may be noted that 1,711 Bangladeshis from coastal Odisha were served ‘quit India’ notices in 2005 under the provisions of the Foreigners Act. However, the deportation process was put on hold by the Centre amid allegations of wrongful identification of the suspected foreign nationals.
However, 21 Bangladeshi nationals were deported to their country under the Foreigners Act prior to 2005, the official concluded.