Bangladeshi migration a huge phenomenon: Tharoor

SHILLONG - Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor Friday termed illegal migration of Bangladeshi nationals to India as a huge human phenomenon”.

“This phenomenon cannot be solved overnight. India and Bangladesh must work together to contain this illegal migration,” Tharoor told journalists at the sidelines of an international conference on From Landlocked to Landlinked: North East India in BIMSTEC.

An estimated 20 million Bangladeshis are living in India illegally. Most of them are economic migrants, who abandon their homes for better living in India.

A successful and prosperous Bangladesh is in the interest of our country’s success and prosperity, Tharoor asserted.

Terming India-Bangladesh relation was on the upswing, he said the improvement was reflected in the recent visit of Bangladesh premier Sheikh Hasina to India, during which several bilateral agreements were signed.

Asked on China’s failure to recognise Arunachal Pradesh as an “integral part of India”, Tharoor said it was a reflection of the unresolved dispute between the two countries.

“We wanted the long-standing border dispute with China resolved peacefully and therefore held 13 rounds of talks so far,” he said.

He also said that the India-China border has been tranquil and there has been no incident in the recent past.

Indo-China relationship must be viewed in the broader context. Both countries are improving trade and people-to-people contact, he added.

Moreover, to improve neighbourly relationships, Tharoor said, our generosity gives more than its fair share towards development of the region.

“India by virtue of having 70 percent population and 80 percent Gross Domestic Product of South East Asia is in a position to contribute more than its share for the region,” Tharoor said.