Authorities in West Bengal have shifted at least 386 undocumented immigrants to 13 holding centers spread across eight border districts ahead of their planned deportation to Bangladesh, officials said on Friday.
According to police officials, the largest number of detainees is currently housed in three holding centers in Basirhat, where nearly 335 people are being kept. The group reportedly includes 109 women and 95 children. Officials added that 19 undocumented immigrants are being held in Murshidabad, while nine are in Malda and eight in South Dinajpur.
The newly formed Bharatiya Janata Party government in the state recently announced the creation of holding centers in districts across Bengal as part of its electoral commitments on undocumented immigration.
Following the announcement, officials said several undocumented Bangladeshi immigrants gathered near the Border Security Force checkpoint at Hakimpur, located close to the India-Bangladesh border, in an attempt to cross into Bangladesh. Police later transferred all of them to the holding facilities in Basirhat.
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Tuesday warned undocumented immigrants to leave voluntarily, saying the government would otherwise take action. He also questioned why the state should continue bearing the cost of their food, clothing, and healthcare.
Officials said several government-owned properties, including cyclone shelters, motels, and community halls, have now been converted into temporary holding centers with tight security arrangements in place.
This is not the first such movement near the border. In November 2025, thousands of undocumented immigrants had gathered at Hakimpur after the launch of the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in the state. Many of them had reportedly been living in and around Kolkata for years while working as domestic helpers, e-rickshaw drivers and sanitation workers, despite possessing Indian identity documents such as Aadhaar cards.
A senior police officer said the current situation is significantly smaller in scale compared to the previous wave. While thousands had assembled last year, officials estimate that around 100 Bangladeshis have gathered near the BSF checkpoint since Tuesday this time.
West Bengal shares the longest stretch of the India-Bangladesh border, spanning nearly 2,216 kilometers out of the total 4,096-kilometer boundary. Officials say roughly 600 kilometers of this border remains unfenced, making it vulnerable to illegal crossings, smuggling, and trafficking activities. The state government has already handed over nearly 142 acres of land to the BSF to facilitate fencing work in these areas.
Adhikari has also directed authorities to hand over detained Bangladeshi immigrants directly to the BSF for deportation instead of presenting them before courts, following a newly introduced rule. Over the past year, several people suspected of being undocumented immigrants have reportedly been “pushed back” across the border into Bangladesh.
