Record 80 illegal Bangladeshis held in 2014

BANGALORE: Bangalore is emerging as a haven for more and more Bangladeshis with 80 illegal immigrants having been arrested so far this year. Between 2011 and 2013, 17 Bangladeshis had been caught, said police sources.
"Of the 80, 23 are children. They don't seem to be involved in illegal activities. Most of them are here to earn some money," a senior police officer said.Many of the Bangladeshis were working as labourers, domestic helps or in hotels.
HAL police arrested 71 immigrants and the remaining 9 were picked up by Cubbon Park police. Most of them have been charged under section 14 A (b) of the Foreigners Act. Punishment under this can go up to eight years' imprisonment along with a fine up to Rs 50,000.
Ganesh Kumar, head, Foreigner Regional Registration Office (FRRO), Bangalore, said: "Most of them claim to be from West Bengal; some even show ration cards provided by the government. The general practice is to verify facts with authorities in West Bengal and send the immigrants there. After verifying their nationality, authorities hand over the immigrants to the Border Security Force, which is responsible for sending them safely to Bangladesh."