I. FACTS OF THE REFUGEE PROBLEM

 

Consequent on the liberation of Bangla Desh, the influx of refugees from East Bengal has ceased. After December 16, 1971, with the liberation of Dacca, the return of refugees gained momentum and a large number of refugees started returning at their own initiative. Shortly afterwards, planned movement of refugees, under Government arrangements, took place.

The last batch of 3,869 refugees in camps left for Bangla Desh on March 25, 1972, exactly after one year of the Pakistan army crack down on Bangla Desh people. With the return of these refugees, all the Central and State refugee camps have now been closed. About 60,000 refugees staying with their relatives will go back on their own.

Since March 25, 1971, 9,899,305 refugees had sought refuge in India. The tables given below give an idea of the magnitude of the problem that India had to face.

INFLUX OF REFUGEES FROM MARCH 25 TO DECEMBER l5, 1971

Serial                     Name of State.                           Total

number.                                                                Influx.

(1)                                 (2)                                       (3)

1      West Bengal   ..,          ...           ...        ...     7,493,474

2       Tripura           ...          ...           ...        ...     1,416,491

3       Meghalaya     ...           ...           ...        ...       667,986

4       Assam            ...          ...           ...        ...       312,713

5       Bihar              ...          ...           ...                     8,641

Total ...     9,899,305

DISTRIBUTION OF REFUGEES IN VARIOUS STATES IN INDIA

 

Refugee Population as on

December 15, 1971.

Serial     Name of State.         Number

number.                                     Of           r­

Camps.    In         Outside      Total.

Camps.   Camps.

(1)              (2)                          (3)        (4)            (5)           (6)

1    West Bengal ...     ...            492    4,849,786  2,386,130    7,235,916

2    Tripura        ...     ...            276      834,098   547,551  1,381,649

3    Meghalaya   ...     ...             17      591,520    76,466    667,986

4    Assam         ...     ...             28       255,642    91,913    347,555

S   Bihar           ...     ...               8        36,732                      36,732

6    Madhya Pradesh ...              3       219,298      ...           219,298

7    Uttar Pradesh ...   ...               1        10,169      ...             10,169

Total ...            825    6,797,245 3,102,060     9,899,305

TREND OF INFLUX

Average Monthly

Month.                                  daily.    arrivals.

(1)                                       (2)           (3)

(PERSONS IN THOUSAND)

1 April 1971 (10th to 30th)           ...           ...       ...          57.00  1,221.00

2 May 1971       ...           ...          ...           ...      102.00    3,158.00

3 June 1971       ...           ...           ...          ...       68.00    2,056.00

4 July 1971        ...           ...           ...           ...       26.00      797.00

5 August 1971   ...           ...          ...           ...       34.00    1,055.00

6 September 1971           ...                         ...       27.00      804.00

7 October 1971 ...           ...          ...           ...       14.00      425.00

8 November 1971 ...                     .             ...         ...           8.00  217.00

9  Backlog         ...          ...           ...           ...        ...            166.00

Total ...         9,899.00

INFLUX OF REFUGEES VIS-A-VIS NORMAL POPULATION IN

 

THE CONCERNED STATES

1971     Refugee

Name of the State.                       Census. Population.

(PERSONS IN THOUSAND)

I Assam             ...           ...             .        ...        14,952.00  313.00

2 Bihar              ,..           ...           ...        ...        56,383.00    9.00

3 Meghalaya      ...           ...           ...        ...            983.00   668.00

4 Tripura           ...           ...           ...        ...         1,557.00 1,416.00

5 West Bengal   ...           ...           ...        ...        44,440.00           7,493.00

Total ...     9,899.00

 

Source: Bangladesh Documents, vol – 81 - 82