War Jaintia becomes transit route for illegal Bangladeshi entry

The War Jaintia Students’ Union (WJSU) has alleged that the War Jaintia region is being used as a transit route for illegal Bangladeshi infiltrators, aided by local facilitators. In a petition to the SDO (Civil) Amlarem, the union reported a significant spike in unauthorized entries through Dawki and other border points this month.

Recent enforcement actions include the arrest of 18 Bangladeshi nationals along with eight local drivers and two facilitators. In a separate incident, 27 Bangladeshis were apprehended while attempting to cross through Zero Point. The WJSU further noted that local youth recently intercepted a vehicle carrying three undocumented individuals who identified themselves as Bangladeshi nationals.

The union claims that local drivers, traffickers, and agents are facilitating these entries to use the region's roads as transit to other parts of the state. They warned that unchecked settlement threatens the demography, land, and culture of the indigenous Khasi-Jaintia people.

To address the issue, the WJSU has demanded intensified patrolling by the police and Border Security Force (BSF), mandatory registration of non-indigenous laborers under the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act, 2016, and stricter record-keeping by employers and landlords.