Aizawl: In a recent meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma asserted that the state cannot push back Bangladeshi refugees from the Bawm community.
The chief minister, who is currently on an official visit to Delhi, addressed the issue following criticism from the opposition regarding the government’s silence on the matter.
During the discussion, Lalduhoma emphasized that the Bawm people, who are part of the Zo ethnic community, should not be deported or pushed back. This stance comes amidst recent controversies over the treatment of refugees from Bangladesh, particularly those fleeing ethnic conflicts in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.
In addition to the refugee situation, the meeting also covered other significant issues, including the relocation of the Assam Rifles headquarters and the implementation of the Mizoram government’s handholding policy.
Recently, over 200 refugees fleeing ethnic conflict in the Chittagong Hill Tracts attempted to enter India through its bordering state of Mizoram on June 16, 2024, but were pushed back by the Border Security Forces.
Some of the refugees, including children and senior citizens, were quite ill after their traverse through the forest and received medical aid from BSF personnel.
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Despite Mizoram’s warm welcome to refugees from Myanmar, the state had remained a silent witness to the forced return of the refugees from Bangladesh. The ruling government, Zoram People’s Movement, came under strong criticism from the former ruling party, the Mizo National Front (MNF), for its silence.
Also Read | Mizoram Congress chief slams ZPM for broken promises, refugee crisis