Illegal immigration from Bangladesh is a problem not only affecting Assam but also other regions such as Meghalaya,Tripura and West Bengal.However,in Assam,it has been a long-drawn problem which has posed a threat to the demographic profile of the state.The Assam agitation in 1979-85 and the resultant tripartite agreement popularly known as Assam accord was signed with the aim to contain the problem of illegal migration.Despite the agreement,much less has been achieved so far and illegal immigration continues unabated till date.
The Bangladeshi people migrate in search of greener pastures in India.They often take up menial low-paying jobs in construction sector and as domestic help.India and Bangladesh share a porous border thus providing them the safe route to cross the border illegally.There seems to have been a lack of political will to stem the flow of illegal immigration.Some political parties even eye them as a potential vote-bank which has further aggravated the problem.
The ill-effects due to uncontrolled illegal migration are manifold.First.it is a grave security issue for the nation.Since they can't be easily tracked of their movements,they may give rise to insurgency problem in the state.The recent arrest of a person in Guwahati in relation to the Burdwan blasts is a grim reminder to the security problem.Second,it results in the mis-allocation of domestic resources.That said,they encroach land illegally,avail public goods and employment avenues meant primarily for the citizens.In extreme cases,they even attain the right to vote by dubiously getting enrolled in election rolls.Third.it leads to social unrest.The inter-community clashes between Bodo and muslims in 2012 and 2014 was partly due to the apathy of the government in tackling the issue of illegal immigration.
How can we best tackle this problem?There should be an effective monitoring system in place for proper documentation of these migrants and should be regularly tracked.The Assam government had announced its intention to upgrade the National Population Registrar(NPR),but the efforts are short of effective implementation at the ground level.Technology plays an important role here.They should be subjected to biometric identification which would prove handy in tracking them easily.They may be issued temporary work-permits.But after the expiry of these permits,they must be sent back to their homeland.However,in the long run,India should try to help Bangladesh in its economic development through greater investments.This would provide employment opportunities to Bangladeshis at home thus disincentivizing their migration across the border.
The Bangladeshi people migrate in search of greener pastures in India.They often take up menial low-paying jobs in construction sector and as domestic help.India and Bangladesh share a porous border thus providing them the safe route to cross the border illegally.There seems to have been a lack of political will to stem the flow of illegal immigration.Some political parties even eye them as a potential vote-bank which has further aggravated the problem.
The ill-effects due to uncontrolled illegal migration are manifold.First.it is a grave security issue for the nation.Since they can't be easily tracked of their movements,they may give rise to insurgency problem in the state.The recent arrest of a person in Guwahati in relation to the Burdwan blasts is a grim reminder to the security problem.Second,it results in the mis-allocation of domestic resources.That said,they encroach land illegally,avail public goods and employment avenues meant primarily for the citizens.In extreme cases,they even attain the right to vote by dubiously getting enrolled in election rolls.Third.it leads to social unrest.The inter-community clashes between Bodo and muslims in 2012 and 2014 was partly due to the apathy of the government in tackling the issue of illegal immigration.
How can we best tackle this problem?There should be an effective monitoring system in place for proper documentation of these migrants and should be regularly tracked.The Assam government had announced its intention to upgrade the National Population Registrar(NPR),but the efforts are short of effective implementation at the ground level.Technology plays an important role here.They should be subjected to biometric identification which would prove handy in tracking them easily.They may be issued temporary work-permits.But after the expiry of these permits,they must be sent back to their homeland.However,in the long run,India should try to help Bangladesh in its economic development through greater investments.This would provide employment opportunities to Bangladeshis at home thus disincentivizing their migration across the border.
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