India forcibly dumps Rohingya refugees at sea, pushes dozens into Bangladesh

Refugees from New Delhi left to swim near Myanmar border as northeastern Indian state confirms cross-border deportations from migrant detention center

NEW DELHI, India (MNTV) — India is facing serious allegations of violating international norms after reports emerged of two separate incidents involving the forced removal of Rohingya refugees—one by sea near the Myanmar border and another across land borders into Bangladesh.

According to independent outlet Maktoob Media, Indian authorities allegedly deported 43 Rohingya detainees by boat on May 8, leaving them in international waters near the maritime boundary with Myanmar. 

The group, which included women, children, and elderly individuals, was reportedly forced to swim to safety using life jackets provided by Indian personnel.

The operation took place the same day India’s Solicitor General assured the Supreme Court that all deportations would follow legal procedures. The court had been hearing petitions challenging the arrest and removal of stateless Rohingya refugees from New Delhi. The court ruled that those deemed foreigners under Indian law may be deported, but did not define a process or timeline.

Rohingyas are considered stateless after Myanmar stripped them of citizenship and launched military operations that the United Nations has described as genocide. Two refugees told Maktoob that their family members, detained in New Delhi’s Uttam Nagar area, had already reached Myanmar following the sea deportation.

In another instance, the Indian state of Assam has acknowledged pushing Rohingya and other detainees into Bangladesh from the Matia detention center—India’s largest facility for undocumented migrants. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma confirmed that individuals declared as foreigners and not facing pending appeals were sent to cross the border.

Bangladeshi media reported that Border Guard Bangladesh detained at least 123 individuals—both Rohingyas and Bengali speakers—at the Kurigram and Khagrachhari border crossings following India’s pushbacks.

Bangladesh’s National Security Adviser Khalilur Rahman stated that verified Bangladeshi nationals would be accepted through proper diplomatic channels, but condemned India’s use of unilateral pushback tactics. Dhaka has sought direct dialogue with New Delhi over the issue.

Matia detention center, located in Assam’s Goalpara district, was built to house foreigners awaiting deportation under the Foreigners Act, the Citizenship Act, and the Passports Act. “Matia is almost free now with 30–40 people left,”Assam Chief minister Sarma said, adding that the removal was part of a broader national effort targeting undocumented foreigners, as reported by The Indian Express.

These recent operations raise fresh concerns about the safety and rights of refugees in India, especially in light of Myanmar’s continued refusal to accept returning Rohingyas.