The newly formed BJP government in West Bengal has launched a stringent crackdown on illegal immigrants entering the state through the Bangladesh border. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari’s “Detect, Delete and Deport” policy has now moved beyond political announcement to large-scale administrative enforcement, triggering concern among undocumented migrants.
Reports indicate that following intensified border surveillance, large groups of alleged illegal immigrants have gathered at multiple border checkposts along the West Bengal–Bangladesh border, seeking to return to their home country. At the Hakimpur border checkpost in North 24 Parganas district, hundreds of Bangladeshi nationals were seen assembling on Tuesday morning, awaiting clearance to cross back, reflecting growing uncertainty among migrant communities.
Meanwhile, the state’s Home (Foreigners) Department has accelerated the establishment of holding centres in line with central government guidelines. Maldah district has inaugurated the state’s first such facility at Chandan Park in English Bazar. Nine suspected Bangladeshi nationals, including women and minors, have already been housed at the centre after being detained in Pandua under Gazole police station limits. The facility is under 24-hour CCTV surveillance and secured by police personnel, civil defence staff, and volunteers.
Officials have linked the enforcement drive to the newly implemented “Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025,” which replaces earlier legal frameworks and grants expanded powers for surveillance, detention, and deportation. Under the new law, police officers of head constable rank and above are authorised to detain suspected illegal immigrants without a warrant. Detainees may be held for up to 30 days in holding centres, during which biometric verification and citizenship checks are conducted under district magistrate supervision before deportation procedures are initiated through central databases.
The crackdown has triggered political reactions in the state. Authorities have stated that individuals not covered under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) will be treated as illegal immigrants and handed over to the Border Security Force (BSF) after due process. Welcoming the move, BJP MP Khagen Murmu from North Maldah described West Bengal as a “safe corridor” for Rohingyas and extremist groups, calling the measures necessary for national security.
However, the state administration clarified that exemptions under CAA provisions remain applicable. Migrants belonging to Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist, Parsi, and Christian communities from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan who entered India before December 31, 2024, on grounds of religious persecution will not be affected. Officials indicated that with increased border enforcement and expanding detention infrastructure, identification, holding, and deportation processes are expected to intensify further in the coming days.