A total of 1,947 refugees from Myanmar and Bangladesh have been enrolled in Mizoram’s ongoing biometric registration exercise, said officials of the state government.
The registration drive began on July 28 in select districts and was expanded to all 11 districts by July 31. “The drive aimed to record biometric and demographic details of over 32,000 Myanmar nationals and nearly 3,000 Bangladeshis currently taking shelter in the state,” said an official.
According to officials, the process has been hampered by technical glitches and poor internet connectivity, particularly in remote regions. Refugees staying in relief camps are being registered more quickly, while those living in rented houses or with relatives are harder to trace. The enrolment of children studying away from their parents’ current shelters has also added logistical complications.
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Champhai district — home to the largest concentration of Myanmar refugees at 13,586 — began its registration on July 31 but initially managed to record only seven individuals due to faulty equipment. Replacement devices brought in from Aizawl are expected to speed up the process this week.
The Mizoram home department estimates that 32,504 Myanmar nationals, mostly from Chin state, have been living in the state since fleeing the aftermath of Myanmar’s February 2021 military coup. Another 2,329 Bangladeshis, mainly from the Bawm tribe of the Chittagong Hill Tracts, arrived after a military crackdown in 2022.
“Both refugee groups share close ethnic ties with the Mizo community,” said the government official.
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