Nepal Mandates ID for Entry at Jogbani Border Amidst Security Concerns

Biratnagar. Identity cards have been made mandatory for those entering Nepal at the Jogbani border checkpoint in the border area of Morang. The Morang District Security Committee has made this decision to control illegal infiltration and criminal activities in the border area.

According to Saroj Koirala, Assistant Chief District Officer of Morang, this decision is purely a security precaution from the Nepal side. "This has not been done through bilateral talks between the two countries. This is purely to tighten security a bit on Nepal's border, to check because there is a possibility of illegal infiltration across the border," Koirala said.

However, according to security sources, the administration has assessed that Rohingya Muslims may flee from India's West Bengal and enter Nepal after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) formed the government there.

Some media outlets in India have widely reported that Rohingya Muslims will be displaced from there after the BJP formed the government. For this reason, vigilance has been increased on the Nepal side, sources claim. "After the BJP formed the government with a majority in West Bengal, there has been chaos there. There are reports in Indian media that Rohingya Muslims are fleeing from there. Whether this is true or not is unknown, but videos of Muslims fleeing with their belongings are appearing in Indian media," the source said.

The administration has assessed that there is a high risk of Rohingyas entering Nepal via the train coming from Kolkata to Jogbani. "Most Rohingya Muslims live in the Malda area. There is a fear that Rohingyas might enter Nepal in large numbers on the train coming from Kolkata," the source says.

However, this matter is being viewed as an internal security strategy rather than a diplomatic issue. The administration has adopted a strategy of increasing special surveillance during train arrival times. Since strict checking at all times could cause problems, arrangements have been made to check cards in a special way when 500 to 1000 people enter at once during train times. In addition, trained dogs have also been used to prevent illegal infiltration at the border.

Apart from Rohingyas, preventing the movement of absconding prisoners is another main objective, according to the administration. "About 500 of our absconding prisoners have gone to India. Security surveillance has been increased as they might also come and go," the source says. This step has been taken on the decision of the District Level Security Committee itself, not on the directive of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.