Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha said the state is currently witnessing “exfiltration rather than infiltration” across the India-Bangladesh border, despite its geographical vulnerability of being surrounded by Bangladesh on three sides.
According to an official statement, the Border Security Force (BSF) apprehended 57 illegal Rohingya immigrants and 628 Bangladeshi nationals in separate operations in 2024. “There is no infiltration from across the border. Instead, the state is now witnessing exfiltration,” the chief minister said.
Saha added that the BSF has been instructed to return anyone crossing the border illegally, in coordination with the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and following due legal procedures.
The chief minister noted that the central government has taken a firm position on preventing infiltration but admitted that securing Tripura’s 856-km international border remains a challenge. Large portions of the border consist of uneven terrain and riverine stretches where barbed-wire fencing cannot be erected. “Despite these challenges, the BSF is doing its best to secure the border,” he said.
Responding to reports that the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in certain states has triggered exfiltration, Saha said individuals living in India using fake documents were now leaving. “Those living with fake documents will have to leave. After Bihar, SIR will have an impact in West Bengal as well,” he said.
When asked whether Tripura would also undergo SIR, the chief minister said the Union government has made it clear that illegal foreigners will neither be allowed to stay nor take part in elections. “If New Delhi wants, SIR will be conducted in our state. The presence of illegal foreigners poses a threat to national security,” he stated.
He dismissed Opposition criticism of the SIR process, asserting that the exercise aims to ensure the purity of electoral rolls. “Infiltration was their political feed, but SIR is being carried out to ensure that only genuine Indians take part in elections,” Saha said.
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