Bangladeshis working in Odisha are set to face the axe, with the state government announcing that it would identify and remove such individuals from employment across the state.
A massive operation is already underway to identify Bangladeshi nationals staying illegally in the state. Taking a step forward, the state government now plans to ensure that no Bangladeshi is engaged by any outsourcing company in the state.
"We have a stated position to identify Bangladeshis staying illegally in Odisha. Now, we will make sure that no Bangladeshi is engaged through any outsourcing company in the state," said Prithviraj Harichandran, state law minister.
The decision comes amid rising security concerns in the wake of the massacre of 26 civilians in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam.
The government's agencies are in touch with various engineering firms. They have been asked to share information about any foreigner being employed not in accordance with the law and told to stop such practices or face action.
In the initial phase, the identification process would focus on the six coastal districts that are accessible through the sea route.
Last year, the Odisha government had directed all district administrations to carry out a comprehensive identification drive to trace Bangladeshi intruders across the state.
Officials were instructed to form joint teams comprising personnel from block offices, tehsils, and police stations to identify illegal Bangladeshi immigrants, following unrest in the neighbouring country that saw the ouster of Sheikh Hasina.
In a response submitted in the Odisha Legislative Assembly, the government stated that 3,740 Bangladeshi nationals had been identified as staying illegally in the state, and that their deportation was under consideration.
Guidelines would also be issued for security agencies to identify the hotspots of illegal immigrants, verify documents of suspects, and establish a reporting mechanism to ensure infiltrators do not go unnoticed.
The guidelines would also help private firms carry out better background checks of their workers and report undocumented foreign nationals.
The operations will be led by the Odisha Special Task Force (STF) in coordination with multiple agencies such as the Marine Police, Indian Coast Guard, Railway Protection Force, district police and intelligence agencies.
