Identification
of Bangladeshi Migrants
(The following letter was written by former M.P., Syed Shahabuddin to Shri Vijay
Kapoor, Lt. Governor of Delhi, with a copy to General Secretary, PUCL)
(Earlier report)
I thank you for your letter dt 20.6.2000 regarding the identification of illegal
migrants of Bangladesh origin. The problem lies in the fact that the action
of the police is not always in consonance with the letter and spirit of the
direction or even in accordance with the law. It has been observed in the press
that the people were lined up by religion and that the various documents presented
to them by the suspects were torn down. It is therefore, necessary to have identification.
Even after an illegal migrant of Bangladesh origin is well identified after
verification of his claim domicile etc. I imagine it is very difficult and time
consuming to deport him to Bangladesh because to the best of my knowledge there
is no agreement between the two governments. I would therefore like to know
whether such persons will be kept in detention till they are accepted by the
Bangladesh. -- 27 June 2000
(PUCL Bulletin, August 2000)