• '116 illegal Bangladeshis identified in Meghalaya', says home minister Lahkmen Rymbui

    Regional
    '116 illegal Bangladeshis identified in Meghalaya', says home minister Lahkmen Rymbui

    Shilong: Meghalaya home minister Lahkmen Rymbui on Thursday informed about the illegal migrants in Meghalaya. He stated that 116 Bangladeshi illegal migrants had been detected in the state from 2018 till August 31, 2021.





    Rymbui responded to a question raised by MLA Winnerson D Sangma in the assembly session. The home minister answered that 36 illegal migrants were detected in 2018, 18 in 2019, 37 in 2020, and 25 till august 31, 2021.





    The minister further notified that 16,400 inter-state migrants without proper papers were also identified during the very term. Out of these, 5,460 were identified in 2018. Around 7,626 in 2019, 2,122 in 2022, including 1,192 till September 1, 2021.





    Rymbui said that over 16,000 migrants had been thrust back to Assam. He added that out of 116 Bangladesh citizens, 44 are presently in jail, while 72 have been deported.





    "I would like to know whether the government has initiated action to identify the vulnerable areas through which infiltration is happening?" questioned Sangma, to which Rymbui stated the state government is doing that on an as-necessary basis.





    Furthermore, Mawsynram MLA HM Shangpliang also drew attention to a crucial matter on an infiltration post in Hatmawdon in the Mawsynram constituency.





    He also described how numbers of Bangladeshi citizens would come in and cut apart all betel nuts from the plantation on the side of Meghalaya throughout the winter season.