The Mizoram government is set to begin biometric enrolment of displaced individuals from Myanmar and Bangladesh residing across the state. The enrolment drive, which will also include demographic data collection, is expected to commence by the end of July, officials said.The process will primarily be conducted online through the Foreigners Identification Portal. However, considering the lack of stable internet connectivity in several rural pockets where many of the refugees reside, authorities have kept offline options open as well. The initiative aims to ensure proper identification, monitoring, and delivery of government support to displaced communities who have been living in the state for several years. On Friday, a training session was held in Lunglei district to prepare local officers for the enrolment process. Organised by the Lunglei District Level Committee on Myanmar & Bangladesh Refugees, the session focused on sensitising officials and equipping them with practical knowledge related to data collection and identity verification.
Additional Superintendent of Police of Lunglei, K Beihmotaosa, briefed the participants on the preparations undertaken so far. He noted that ten biometric enrolment teams have already been formed in the district, and necessary equipment has been requisitioned from the state Home Department to facilitate the enrolment. The pilot phase of the drive in Lunglei district will begin at Ramthar Camp before extending to eight other refugee camps in the region. During Friday’s session, a total of 27 officers were trained through hands-on and interactive methods by master trainers.Officials confirmed that similar training programmes are being held in other districts as well, with the aim of ensuring that all 11 districts of Mizoram are fully prepared for the large-scale enrolment operation.
According to data shared by the Home Department, over 32,000 displaced Myanmar nationals are currently residing in Mizoram. The majority are from Chin State, and many arrived following the military coup in Myanmar in February 2021. The situation remains fluid, with a number of individuals regularly crossing back and forth across the border.In addition to the Myanmar refugees, the state is also home to 2,371 Bangladeshi nationals, mostly from the Bawm tribe in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. They reportedly fled to Mizoram following a military crackdown on an ethnic insurgent group in 2022.Furthermore, over 7,000 Zo ethnic people from neighbouring Manipur, displaced by ethnic violence in 2023, have also taken shelter in Mizoram. The Chin people of Myanmar, the Bawm of Bangladesh, and the Kuki-Zo groups from Manipur all share close cultural and ethnic ties with the Mizos, which has led to a broad base of community support and hospitality in the state.
