MIGRATION(INDO-BANGLDESH)ANKIT SHEKHAR PRADHANINTERNATIONAL RELATIONS III SEMESTER

CONTENT

INTRODUCTION EMERGENCE OF THE PROBLEM UNDERSTANDING THR PROBLEM The Migration Issue between India and Bangladesh The Main Disputes Why Bangladeshi Migrants IMPACT Reference

INTRODUCTION

Migration is a relatively permanent moving away of a collectivity, called migrants, from one geographical location to another, preceded by decision making on the part of the migrants on the basis of a hierarchically ordered set of values or valued ends and resulting in changes in the interactional systems of the migrants.

Migration is not a new phenomenon in this world. Issue of illegal migration is an immense crisis throughout the world. In India, migration started after the partition of India in 1947. Ever since the partition of the Indian subcontinent and formation of East Pakistan and later Bangladesh, their

nationals came to India with or without valid documents. Up to 1971, over 4.7 million Hindus had sought refuge in India.

Since 1947, Hindu population in Bangladesh has been reduced from 30% to less than 10% because of the terrible religious persecutions and political terrorism

EMERGENCE OF THE PROBLEM

Migration from Bangladesh to India cannot be totally kept apart from that in earlier periods. The problem of illegal migration into Assam was created by the British East India Company, who first brought the Bengali Muslim peasant

from East Bengal to Brahmaputra Valley in the beginning of the 19th century. British needed essential human resources including administrators, businessmen and labourers. Partition of Bengal of 1905 which took place under the British strategy of ‘Divide and Rule’ may be considered as one of the most important

events in the context of forced migration in today’s Bangladesh. Rise of communal feelings among them, communal riots occurred both for and against this division, leaving a deep sense of insecurity in

the Hindu population causing migration of a section of them, particularly members of elite class, to the western part of Bengal. The second important event which led to this problem was the partition of India and birth of Pakistan in 1947. In East Bengal where historically Hindus were big land owners, the Muslim League Government passed the East Bengal State Acquisition

and Tenancy Act in 1950 which provided that no person would be entitled to retain any land in his possession in excess of 200 bighas or a quantity of ten standard bighas per person of his family, whichever was greater at the time of acquisition of Zamindaris.

When the Liberation War of Bangladesh began, the military of Pakistan used unprecedented force and terror to smash it which compelled about 10 million people to cross over to India in 1971.

The Enemy Property Act which was promulgated in 1965 by the Pakistan government regarded India as an enemy country. One of the ongoing burning issues between India and Bangladesh is of Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) Refugees. The borders between India and Bangladesh are so vulnerable because still large areas of the border are without any fence.

UNDERSTANDING THE PROBLEM

People can voluntarily take decision to move, still in some cases, people move from one place to another just to avoid physical torture and extinction.

It can be voluntarily as well as involuntarily. Migration occurs because of certain reasons. They find ‘illegal’ ways to tackle this obstacle in the path of their well-

being. Forced migrants of one state are generally refugees in the other.

The Migration Issue between India and Bangladesh

Bangladesh once was an integral part of India and constituted a part of Bengal province.

People have been moving from one part of the country to the other for social, economic (trade), cultural and ethnic reasons.

This movement became a problem only after India was divided in 1947 and this part became a province of Pakistan.

Historical, geographical, socio-economical and cultural backgrounds have caused a lot of problems between these two countries.

The Main Disputes

About 250,000 Hindus and as many Muslims migrated to India every year from Bangladesh (earlier East Pakistan) since 1951.

Bangladesh accused India of expelling Bengali-speaking Indian Muslims in the name of Bangladeshi migrants.

The problem of Chakma refugees is another. Thousands of these displaced people migrated into sparsely populated regions of

Mizoram, Tripura, Assam Arunachal Pradesh. Perhaps 40,000 ‘environmental refugees’ migrated to India, where today, they live in the Arunachal Pradesh of northeast India.

The Sheikh Haseena Government, however, could conclude a peace treaty (CHT Peace Accord) with the insurgents and as a consequence, more than 50,000 tribals who had taken refuge in India for more than a decade could be repatriated.

Why Bangladeshi Migrants

India has been an easy destination for the Bangladeshi migrants. It easier for these migrants to infiltrate into Indian Territory. Migrants who came after 1971, they also tried to mix up with the rest and this created an atmosphere of

confusion where it has become so difficult to distinguish between the Indian nationals and the Bangladeshi Migrants.

Politicisation of migration has also contributed to this problem. Due to ethnic resemblance of the populations with similar cultural, linguistic and physical features,

migration across the border is a common and easier practice in the Indian sub-continent. The Bangladeshi migrants who have been forced to leave their country because of communal riots and

abuses choose India because they are fascinated by the democratic and secular features of Indian society. India’s geographical proximity and cultural and historical background also works as a factor behind their

selection of the country for refuge Besides this the facilities that they get in India like better healthcare, employment, etc. also provoke

Bangladeshi migrants to select India as their destination.

India was the one who supported the liberation war of Bangladesh. The people of Bangladesh find themselves near to the neighbouring Indian people as they share the same Bengali identity

Bangladesh is surrounded by India from three sides.

IMPACT The agricultural sector in West Bengal was improved wherever migrants have settled. Being hardworking and

industrious they helped to improve farming and production of food crops in West Bengal. But the negative part of this is more dominant. The easy availability and readiness of the migrant worker to work at a

very low wage rate and the general impression that the migrant workers are more hardworking, has worked against the local workers.

The problem of deforestation, land grab, trade grab, illegal occupancy of pavements and railway platforms by undocumented migrants are creating pressure on natural resources in India. Pre-existing slums have also grown.

The Bangladeshi migrants have also created a remittance problem in India. In various parts the situation of law and order has been worsened because different political parties at different

periods have given protection to illegal migrants. The main antisocial activities illegal migrants are involved in include smuggling, robbery and associated crime,

prostitution, beggary, and trafficking in women and children. This migration has caused a threat to the security of India as they are not only harming our economy by activities

like smuggling and illegal trade, but also helping in running trans-border gangs, gathering information for the extremist groups of northeast India.

The most important thing is that the presence of Bangladeshi migrants in India is causing tensions between the two countries.

Reference

Roy, Guha (2003), “Some observation on Bangladeshi migration to India with special reference to West Bengal”.

Datta, Pranati (2004), “Push-Pull Factors of Undocumented Migration from Bangladesh to West Bengal: A Perception Study”

Upadhyay, Dr. Archana (2006), “Cross-Border Illegal Migration and Conflicts in India’s North-East: Emerging Challenges and Responses”

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Bangla-migration-to-India-largest-in-developing-world/articleshow/22528497.cms

http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/countries/india/states/assam/documents/papers/illegal_migration_in_assam.htm