Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed on Friday said not a single person has been allowed to enter Bangladesh through illegal push-ins due to the strict vigilance maintained by the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) along the country's frontiers.
He made the remarks while briefing reporters after attending a discussion and award-giving ceremony organised by the Department of Narcotics Control (DNC) marking the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking 2026 at Osmani Memorial Auditorium in Dhaka.
Salahuddin Ahmed said pushing individuals across the border without prior verification is neither a proper nor internationally accepted procedure.
"If India has a list of Bangladeshi nationals staying there illegally, it can provide the information through diplomatic channels or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs," he said.
The minister said the Bangladesh government would verify their nationality through due process and, if confirmed, bring them back through legal procedures.
Referring to claims made in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly regarding the pushback of 10,000 people, he said the Bangladesh government has no documentary evidence or verified statistics supporting such assertions.
The minister praised the role of BGB, saying the border force remains on maximum alert across all frontiers and has successfully thwarted any attempts by India's Border Security Force (BSF) to push people into Bangladesh.
He also suggested that recent push-in activities along the border may have been displayed as part of a political agenda following recent elections in the Indian state of West Bengal.
Providing an update on the murder case of Shaheed Osman Hadi, Salahuddin Ahmed said three of the principal suspects had been arrested by Indian law enforcement agencies in Bongaon, West Bengal.
He said judicial proceedings have already begun in India following the filing of a case under the country's laws.
According to the minister, Bangladesh has formally sought the return of the accused under the extradition treaty between the two countries by sending the necessary legal documents and warrants to the Indian authorities.
"We are hopeful of their early handover to Bangladesh," he said.
Regarding former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Benazir Ahmed, the minister said the Federal Police of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) informed the Bangladesh government via email after arresting him.
The UAE authorities requested the required documents within 30 days, he said.
"The Bangladesh government completed all legal and institutional documentation within just three days and sent them to the UAE through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs," he added.
The documents were formally handed over to UAE authorities by the Bangladesh Embassy in Abu Dhabi a few days ago.
Salahuddin Ahmed said Benazir Ahmed is currently in the custody of the UAE Federal Police and Bangladesh is awaiting the final response from the UAE government regarding the next course of action.
Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs Manjur Morshed Chowdhury, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mohammad Ali Hossain Fakir and other senior officials of the ministry were present at the briefing.
MSH
