India blocks Bangladeshis fleeing chaotic regime change

KOLKATA: India has arrested nearly a dozen Bangladeshis attempting to cross the border to escape violence and political tumult following deadly protests that led to the ouster of prime minister Sheikh Hasina, border officials said on Monday.

Hundreds more are waiting along the frontier pleading for permission to cross, India´s Border Security Force (BSF) said. Hindus are the largest minority faith in mostly Muslim Bangladesh, and are considered a steadfast support base for Hasina´s party, the Awami League.

After Hasina´s abrupt resignation and escape to India ended her 15 years of autocratic rule on August 5, there were numerous reports of attacks against Hindu households, temples and businesses.

India´s BSF said 11 Bangladesh nationals had been arrested since Sunday trying to “sneak” across the frontier into West Bengal state. “Several hundred Bangladeshi nationals are still waiting in no-man´s land to cross over the border,” BSF deputy inspector general Amit Kumar Tyagi told AFP.

Bangladesh is almost entirely encircled by India, with the border stretching for more than 4,000-kms, large parts of which are unfenced. Four Bangladeshis were also “repelled” from India´s Assam state, chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on social media platform X. New Delhi has kept a wary eye on the fall of Hasina, who pursued a delicate balancing act of enjoying support from India while maintaining strong relations with China.