India expelling Bengali Muslims without due process, says Human Rights Watch
HRW says Indian Muslims among over 1,500 deported to Bangladesh as Hindu nationalist government escalates crackdown
NEW DELHI, India (MNTV) — Indian authorities are unlawfully expelling hundreds of ethnic Bengali Muslims to Bangladesh without due process, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in a new report, warning that many of those deported are Indian citizens.
Since May 2025, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government has intensified efforts to remove Bengali Muslims—both Indian nationals and undocumented migrants—under the pretext of border control. HRW said these expulsions have involved arbitrary detentions, abuse, and a complete disregard for legal safeguards guaranteed under Indian and international law.
“India’s ruling BJP is fueling discrimination by arbitrarily expelling Bengali Muslims from the country, including Indian citizens,” said Elaine Pearson, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “The authorities’ claims that they are managing irregular immigration are unconvincing given their disregard for due process rights, domestic guarantees, and international human rights standards.”
Between May 7 and June 15 alone, the Border Guard Bangladesh reported that Indian authorities expelled more than 1,500 Muslims—including women and children—across the border, among them around 100 Rohingya refugees from Myanmar. HRW said the deportations have continued since then, with no official figures released by the Indian government.
According to HRW’s June interviews with 18 people—both expellees and their families—many had lived for years in Indian states such as Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Odisha, and Rajasthan. In several cases, individuals were detained without legal notice, their documents confiscated, and their citizenship claims ignored.
Some Indian citizens who were expelled have since reentered India and proven their nationality, while others remain missing. HRW said Indian border guards in some cases beat or threatened the detainees to force them across the border.
The rights group said the crackdown intensified after a deadly attack on Indian tourists in Jammu and Kashmir in April. In its aftermath, police reportedly targeted Muslims nationwide, seizing phones, personal documents, and denying access to legal counsel.
While Indian officials insist the deportees are illegal entrants from Bangladesh, HRW said many claim to be Indian nationals. The lack of any formal legal procedure or transparent verification has led to unlawful expulsions of Indian Muslims, particularly those from Bengali-speaking communities.
Bangladeshi authorities have protested India’s unilateral actions, urging the Modi government to adhere to “transparent, verifiable processes” consistent with bilateral repatriation agreements and international standards.
On July 8, HRW sent its findings to India’s Ministry of Home Affairs but received no response.
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