17.03.2005 - Source: BBC News

West Bengal: Government opposed request of controversial Bangladeshi writer for citizenship, claiming that granting her Indian citizenship or residency could cause religious strife ("Bengali writer's request opposed") [#30238],  [ID 8177]

Document(s): Open document

08.11.2004 - Source: BBC News

West Bengal: nearly 200 illegal migrants from Bangladesh prevented from going home by Bangladeshi border police ("'Bengalis stranded' along border") [#26841],  [ID 6877]

Document(s): Open document

08.11.2004 - Source: BBC News

West Bengal: nearly 200 illegal migrants from Bangladesh prevented from going home by Bangladeshi border police ("'Bengalis stranded' along border") [#26841],  [ID 8179]

Document(s): Open document

26.05.2004 - Source: Amnesty International

Annual Report 2004 (covering 2003) ("Annual Report 2004") [#22668],  [ID 6878]

"There were reports of collective expulsions by the Indian authorities of Bangladeshi nationals accused of being illegal immigrants. However, the Bangladeshi authorities were reluctant to allow them to return. The incident resulted in a stalemate where 213 people were trapped between the two borders."

Document(s): Open document
Open document

24.05.2004 - Source: US Committee for Refugees and Immigrants

Annual report on conditions affecting refugees and asylum seekers in 2003 ("World Refugee Survey 2004") [#22816],  [ID 6879]

"At the end of 2003, some 317,000 refugees were living in India, including some 100,000 Tibetans, an estimated 50,000 refugees from Myanmar, some 15,000Lhotsampa--ethnic Nepalese refugees from Bhutan, and some 11,500 mandate refugees, mostly Afghans (10,300) assisted by UNHCR, and some 400 claims pending before UNHCR. In addition, almost 100,000 Sri Lankan refugees remained in India with some 20,000 living unrecognized by the government outside of camps, some 20,000 registered with the police outside the camps and almost 60,000 government-recognized refugees in camps. Thousands of Nepalese also fled to India during the year, and up to 40,000 Afghans were living in India unassisted by UNHCR. According to the Dalai Lama’s office, some 3,500 Tibetans arrived in India in 2003. The Indian authorities permitted Tibetan refugees to enter, but the government has not granted legal temporary residence to most Tibetans who arrived in recent years. [...]

In January the government announced that it planned to expel an alleged 20 million illegal Bangladeshis, who Bangladeshi officials claim are Indian Muslims, and who India claims are Bangladesh’s citizens. In February India attempted to forcibly deport several hundred individuals but Bangladeshi troops on heightened alert prevented the deportation. During the year Indian border guards shot at an unknown number Bangladeshis claiming they were illegally entering India."

Document(s): Open document

25.02.2004 - Source: US Department of State

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - 2003 ("Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - 2003") [#19765],  [ID 6880]

"The Government estimated that there were 10 million Bangladeshis living illegally in the country. By year's end, the Illegal Migrants Determination by Tribunal law (IMDT), which largely was aimed at illegal Bangladeshi immigrants, had not been implemented nor repealed."

Document(s): Open document

24.02.2004 - Source: BBC News

State of Manipur: 20 illegal migrants from Bangladesh arrested ("Bangladesh migrants held in India") [#19644],  [ID 6881]

Document(s): Open document

21.01.2004 - Source: BBC News

Demonstrators in Calcutta burnt effigies of the Bangladeshi writer, Taslima Nasreen, whose new book they allege has insulted Islam ("Effigies of writer burned") [#18925],  [ID 6882]

Document(s): Open document