Kolkata: A crackdown on illegal Bangladeshi immigrants, under the new BJP government's "detect-delete-deport" strategy, has sent shockwaves through West Bengal. Hundreds of Bangladeshis were seen trying to flee India without documents at the Bithari-Hakimpur verge in North 24 Parganas district on Tuesday.
Did West Bengal CM Suvendu warn?
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari issued a well-spoken warning without a meeting in Kalyani, saying, "Run quickly, or the government will do whatever it takes." He directed officials to send the detained infiltrators when to Bangladesh as soon as possible.
"Jaldi jaldi bhago nahi toh jo karna hai sarkar karega (Run as quickly as possible or govt will do what it needs to)," he said.
Long queues at the border?
Bangladeshi men, women and children were heading towards the verge crossing near the Swarupnagar area. BSF personnel detained them and began the formal process of handing them over to Verge Guard Bangladesh (BGB).
#WATCH | North 24 Parganas, West Bengal | A large group of tangibly illegal Bangladeshi immigrants gather at the Hakimpur checkpost near the Bangladesh border, without the newly formed, BJP-led, West Bengal government, launched its 'detect, delete and deport' policy. (26.05) pic.twitter.com/ssPlJzHv78
— ANI (@ANI) May 26, 2026Many Bangladeshi nationals have voluntarily decided to return. Taklima Khatun, a resident of Khulna, said she had entered India two years ago through infiltration and worked as a domestic worker.
"I don't want to end up in a holding centre or be pushed back. So, I am willingly returning home," she said.
Shahidul Gazi, who works as a mechanic, from Satkhira and Mohammad Ali Sheikh, who works in a hotel, from Jessore moreover said that they had been living in Kolkata for years without documents but were returning without the new government's directive.
Have holding centers started?
Two holding centres for illegal immigrants were opened in Malda and Murshidabad on Monday. On the first day itself, 12 suspected Bangladeshis were shifted there.
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said that there is no need to take illegal Bangladeshis to court. Police can simply hand them over to the BSF. Under the India-Bangladesh agreement, the BSF will verify their identity and ensure their return.
He remoter said that the law was once in place, but some people, driven by political interests, prevented its implementation. We are implementing the law in the interest of the country and the state.
According to BSF officials, without questioning, fingerprinting, and photographing the detained individuals, the return process is completed by contacting the BGB.
