A new citizenship law has caused widespread protests in India (Manjunath Kiran)
<p>Dhaka (AFP) – Bangladesh has cut services to millions of mobile phones along its border with India for "security" reasons amid fears a new citizenship law passed by its giant neighbour could prompt an influx of migrants.</p><p>The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission ordered the mobile shutdown late Monday along a one-kilometre (0.6-mile) band along the Indian frontier, the watchdog’s spokesman Sohel Rana said.</p><p>The directive was issued "for the sake of the country’s security in the current circumstances," the spokesman told AFP.</p><p>Bangladesh shares a 4,000-kilometre (2,500-mile) border with India and the shutdown would affect some 10 million mobile phone users, according to a top official from one operator.</p><p>"A large number of people in the border area will be without internet, voice and other mobile services," said Association of Mobile Telecom Operators Bangladesh spokesman S.M. Farhad.</p><p>BTRC officials said there were fears of fallout from India’s new citizenship act, which accords rights to refugee migrants from neighbouring countries but excluded Muslims.</p><p>"We are worried that India’s current condition may prompt many people to enter Bangladesh," said a BTRC official, speaking on the condition of anonymity.</p><p>At least 27 people have died and hundreds injured in two weeks of protests over the Citizenship Amendment Act marked by clashes between demonstrators and riot police.</p><p>The earlier exclusion of nearly two million people from a new list of citizens in India’s Assam state has already triggered fears of deportations to Bangladesh.</p><p>Bangladesh Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan has said attempts to deport people from India have been thwarted by border guards in recent weeks.</p><p>Media reports said hundreds of people who have recently entered Bangladesh from India have been detained by border guards.</p><p></p>

Disclaimer: Validity of the above story is for 7 Days from original date of publishing. Source: AFP.