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A crowd was seen in North 24 Parganas, with people reportedly assembling to return to Bangladesh amid the Bengal government’s intensified crackdown on alleged illegal immigrants.
A crowd of people seen in Bengal’s North 24 Parganas (Video screengrabs)
A crowd was seen at the Hakimpur border area in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district, with people believed to have assembled there to return to Bangladesh, amid the state government’s intensified action against alleged illegal Bangladeshi immigrants.
Similar scenes had earlier been witnessed when the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process had begun.
The latest gathering comes after the West Bengal government operationalised holding centres for suspected foreign nationals and announced a tougher enforcement mechanism under its “detect, delete and deport” policy.
Speaking to reporters, a Bangladeshi national said, “I have been living here in Dum Dum for the past one or two years. If the administration does not keep us here, then what can we do?”
North 24 Parganas, West Bengal: A Bangladeshi infiltrator says, “I have been living here in Dum Dum for the past one or two years. If the administration does not keep us here, then what can we do? Tell me. If the government does not support us, we cannot stay here, so what else… pic.twitter.com/oSXhErC326— IANS (@ians_india) May 26, 2026
As per news agency PTI, Malda became the first district in West Bengal to operationalise a holding centre for suspected illegal foreign nationals.
The facility, set up at Chandan Park in English Bazar, is currently housing nine suspected Bangladeshi nationals, including three women and six minors, who were brought from Gazole’s Pandua area under tight security arrangements.
PTI reported that the holding centre has CCTV surveillance, police deployment, civil defence personnel and arrangements for food and upkeep.
Officials said the facility has been created to temporarily house foreign nationals detained over allegations of illegal entry or lack of valid documents.
The report said the development followed a directive issued by the state Home and Hill Affairs Department’s Foreigners’ Branch, which instructed all district administrations to establish “holding centres” for “apprehended foreigners” and “released foreign prisoners awaiting deportation or repatriation”.
‘DETECT, DELETE AND DEPORT’ POLICY
The BJP government in West Bengal has repeatedly stated that it intends to implement a strict policy against illegal infiltration.
The state government has adopted a “detect, delete and deport” framework targeting illegal immigrants, particularly Bangladeshis and Rohingyas.
Last week, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced that infiltrators detained by the police would be handed directly to the Border Security Force (BSF) instead of being routed through prolonged court procedures.
“Those who are outside the purview of the CAA are infiltrators and will be arrested by the state police and handed over to the BSF,” Adhikari had said, according to PTI.
PTI further reported that the BSF would coordinate with Border Guards Bangladesh for deportation formalities under the proposed mechanism.
On May 21, Adhikari also said that infiltrators detained in the state would no longer be produced before courts but directly handed over to BSF outposts at border points such as Petrapole in Bongaon and Basirhat in North 24 Parganas.
CENTRE’S GUIDELINES AND NEW IMMIGRATION LAW
The reports stated that the latest measures are linked to the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025, enacted by Parliament last year.
The law replaced multiple earlier legislations dealing with immigration, registration and deportation, and introduced a technology-driven framework for surveillance and detention.
According to PTI, the legislation empowers police officers of head constable rank and above to arrest individuals suspected of violating immigration norms without a warrant.
IANS reported that the Union Home Ministry’s Foreigners Division had issued an eight-page guideline on May 2, 2025, regarding Rohingya and Bangladeshi infiltrators.
The guidelines included provisions for establishing holding centres and allowing suspects to be detained for up to 30 days while their citizenship documents are verified.
Under the framework, district magistrates or district collectors will take the final call on citizenship status after verification.
The reports also stated that biometric data of those identified as infiltrators would be uploaded to central databases before deportation proceedings are initiated.
POLITICAL REACTIONS
North Malda BJP MP Khagen Murmu welcomed the move and said those not covered under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) should return to their own countries.
PTI quoted him as alleging that Bengal had become a “corridor for Rohingyas, terrorists and jihadi elements”.
Meanwhile, senior Trinamool Congress leader Krishnendu Narayan Chowdhury said action against illegal immigrants should be based on concrete intelligence inputs and stressed that no legal Indian citizen should face harassment.
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