‘I too might be sent back to Bangladesh’

Banglapress Published: 23 September 2025, 10:26 AM

‘I too might be sent back to Bangladesh’

Bangla Press Desk: Nobel laureate economist Amartya Sen has expressed grave concern over rising linguistic intolerance in parts of India, particularly targeting Bangla-speaking individuals who are often suspected of being undocumented Bangladeshi immigrants. Addressing a public discussion in Kolkata on Friday, the 91-year-old Nobel laureate made a pointed remark, saying: “There remains a possibility that I might be sent back to Bangladesh because my ancestral home is in Dhaka. And I do not have much objection to that.” Sen, who was born in Santiniketan and has deep familial ties to Dhaka, made the jibe in reference to recent media reports about Bangla-speaking individuals allegedly being deported or harassed under suspicion of being illegal immigrants. “I saw in the newspaper that someone was sent to Bangladesh because he was speaking in Bengali. It made me a bit worried,” he said. Responding to media questions on the issue, Sen strongly defended India’s pluralistic traditions and the value of cultural diversity. “Every identity—be it Bengali or Punjabi—has its own significance and should be respected,” he said.

He cautioned that Bengali speakers are increasingly facing professional obstacles and social disrespect in several BJP-ruled states. While not claiming superiority for Bengali culture, Sen underlined the importance of recognising the rich history and contributions of the Bengali language and civilisation. “There must be respect for Bengali culture. If not, there needs to be protests,” he asserted. This article was originally published on Daily Sun. [Bangla Press is a global platform for free thought. It provides impartial news, analysis, and commentary for independent-minded individuals. Our goal is to bring about positive change, which is more important today than ever before.]

BP/ZE

[Bangla Press is a global platform for free thought. It provides impartial news, analysis, and commentary for independent-minded individuals. Our goal is to bring about positive change, which is more important today than ever before.]