Maharashtra Govt and IIT-Bombay Develop AI Tool to Identify Illegal Bangladeshi Nationals

The Maharashtra government, in collaboration with IIT Bombay, is developing a language-based verification AI tool designed to analyze speech patterns, tone, and linguistic usage to help identify suspected illegal Bangladeshi nationals and Rohingyas in the state. Officials familiar with the project have confirmed this initiative.

The tool, being developed by the state’s information technology department as part of a ₹3-crore project, is intended to assist law-enforcement agencies during preliminary identification. Officials stated that it will serve as an initial screening step before police carry out a full nationality investigation based on documents.

During the launch of the Mahayuti manifesto on January 11, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said, “We’ll free Mumbai from Bangladeshis. We’ve deported the highest so far. With AI, we’ll identify and deport 100% Bangladeshis.”

It is important to note that West Bengal and Bangladesh (East Bengal) share heavily overlapping dialects, accents, vocabulary, and pronunciation, as they are linguistically part of the same region that was divided politically. As a result, many Bengalis from West Bengal may sound “Bangladeshi” to outsiders. The overlap is especially pronounced in border districts such as North 24 Parganas, Nadia, Murshidabad, and Malda, where speech patterns naturally blend across regions.

However, officials claim that the system will use linguistic markers such as accent, tone, and word choices to distinguish Bangladeshi nationals from Bengali-speaking residents of West Bengal.

Once the tool indicates that a suspected person may not be from West Bengal, enforcement agencies can proceed with further investigation to establish nationality through documentary verification. The tool is currently in an experimental phase.

“We have been working on it for the last three months and its reliability has proven to be 60%. In the next six months, it will be foolproof and in a position to use,” said Fadnavis, adding that the government has also set up a detention center to hold such persons before deportation.

The CM also noted that infiltrators first enter West Bengal, obtain forged documents, and then travel to different parts of the country while accessing government schemes. This initiative aims to enhance the state's ability to detect and address such issues effectively.