Infiltration from B'desh sparks alarm

A growing number of illegal immigrants from Bangladesh have reportedly settled in Kendrapara district by forging identity documents and securing government jobs using fake caste certificates, raising alarm among local authorities and civil society groups.

- POST NEWS NETWORK

Despite presence of three dedicated marine police stations, weak coastal surveillance and lax enforcement have reportedly made Kendrapara a haven for Bangladeshi nationals entering the district illegally via the Bay of Bengal. The sea route from Bangladesh to Odisha takes only about eight hours by boat, enabling a steady flow of unauthorised migration into the coastal district.

In March, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi told the state Assembly that 3,738 Bangladeshi nationals were residing illegally in Odisha, with Kendrapara accounting for the largest share — 1,649 individuals. However, these figures have not been updated since 2004, when the district administration first identified infiltrators.