Fear of infiltration rises amid Bangladesh unrest as Mawsynram MLA flags security concerns

CORRESPONDENT

SHILLONG: Amid sustained turmoil across the border in Bangladesh, worries of possible spillover into Meghalaya have escalated, with security agencies intensifying vigilance along vulnerable stretches of the international boundary. The spectre of infiltration, heightened by instability in Bangladesh ahead of its February elections, has triggered deep unease among border communities and their elected representatives. Against this backdrop of geopolitical flux and heightened threat perception, Mawsynram MLA Ollan Singh Suin has underscored that a few recent instances of illegal entry attempts have already been intercepted and pushed back, prompting the Border Security Force to maintain an unrelenting, round-the-clock vigil. He emphasized that the situation demands uncompromising surveillance, given the porosity of certain riverine segments that remain unfenced and pose persistent security vulnerabilities.

“There are a few cases of infiltration where we pushed them back to Bangladesh and the Border Security Force is maintaining round-the-clock vigil to look after our safety and security,” Suin said, adding, “Because of the trouble in Bangladesh, we fear untoward infiltration of Bangladeshis towards Meghalaya, so the border haat is also closed.”

He said, “We have two border haats in Mawsynram in my constituency, one is at Lalpani and the other one is at Rinku. These two border haats have been closed since the start of the turmoil in Bangladesh. The elections in Bangladesh will be held in February, so hopefully by the end of February when the new government is installed, we hope that peace is established.” Reiterating the prevailing apprehension, the legislator noted, “Yes, we share a border with Bangladesh and we fear infiltration from Bangladesh because of the unrest. There are a few cases of infiltration where we pushed them back to Bangladesh and the Border Security Force is maintaining round-the-clock vigil to look after our safety and security.” On the robustness of border protocols, Suin stated, “Mechanisms are proper to check infiltration along the border except the riverine borders where there is no fencing. The porous portion is only along the rivers. Rivers are not fenced.”

The continued closure of the border haats — a critical economic lifeline for roughly 15,000 residents along the Indo-Bangladesh frontier in Mawsynram — has plunged local trade into disarray. “The closure of the border haats has severely impacted the lives and livelihoods of people living along the Indo-Bangladesh border in Mawsynram, East Khasi Hills,” the UDP legislator said.

He added, “I wish another border haat could be opened. I am satisfied with the two border haats. When normalcy is restored, we expect these two border haats to reopen and transactions will take place.” The prolonged shutdown of the Ryngku and Lalpani border haats — once bustling nodes of traditional cross-border commerce — has disrupted long-standing trade linkages between communities on both sides of the boundary, severely denting the border economy as heightened security measures remain in force due to the ongoing situation in Bangladesh.

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