The northeastern Indian state of Mizoram has announced a biometric enrollment initiative for about 35,000 refugees from Myanmar and Bangladesh to enhance management of displaced populations. The program, which began on July 15, 2025, will create digital records of refugees who have fled political unrest and ethnic violence in neighboring countries.
Enrollment Scope and Technology
The initiative will register over 32,000 Myanmar refugees who arrived following the 2021 military coup, as well as approximately 2,370 members of the Bangladeshi Bawm tribal community. To initiate the program, the Mizoram government has allocated Rs 38 lakh (approximately $46,000) and expects to secure additional funding from the Ministry of Home Affairs as the project scales up.
“This is an urgent task. Additional financial support will be sought as we move forward,” said Home Secretary Vanlalmawia, noting that experts from the National Informatics Centre (NIC) have trained local officials on operating the new system.
The project will utilize the Foreigners Identification Portal & Biometric Enrollment (FIP&BE) system developed by NIC. Registration will start at Ramthar Camp and then extend to eight other refugee camps across the state. Oversight will be provided by the District Level Committee on Myanmar & Bangladesh Refugees (DLCMBR), with ten Biometric Enrollment Teams deployed to conduct registrations.
Implementation Timeline and Context
The launch of the program was postponed due to the 2023 Assembly elections and technical issues related to data formatting. The Mizoram government’s plan follows earlier refugee identification initiatives, including the UNHCR’s biometric identification program for over 500,000 Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh .
By capturing fingerprints, photographs, and personal details of refugees, the program aims to strengthen the administration of humanitarian aid, streamline record-keeping, and improve security coordination in border districts. The biometric records will help prevent duplication of aid, track refugee movement, and provide reliable data for future policy planning.
Mizoram has long served as a refuge for people escaping conflict and instability in neighboring regions, particularly since Myanmar’s 2021 military coup and renewed tensions in Bangladesh’s Chittagong Hill Tracts. State officials believe the new enrollment program will support more effective management of resources and assistance while ensuring that refugee data is maintained in a secure digital format.
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By Ali Nassar-Smith
