Crackdown Triggers Rush Towards Bengal Border as Bangladeshis Recount Entry Routes

Amid an intensified crackdown on illegal immigration in West Bengal, hundreds of Bangladeshi migrants are reportedly gathering near border points and transit terminals fearing detention, deportation or confinement in holding centres.

Many of those attempting to return to Bangladesh have spoken about how they allegedly entered India illegally over the years, describing organised middleman networks, forged documents and alleged political assistance used to secure Indian identity papers and welfare benefits.

‘Patrolling Gaps’ and Middleman Networks

Several migrants claimed they crossed into India through riverine and agricultural stretches along the India-Bangladesh border with the help of dalals or middlemen.

A migrant from Bangladesh’s Kushtia district told local YouTube channel Haldia Live that middlemen monitored Border Security Force (BSF) patrol movements at night and facilitated crossings whenever there was a “gap” in patrolling.

According to him, migrants sometimes waited the entire night for an opportunity to cross while, at other times, entry into India allegedly took only minutes. He claimed the network charged around ₹7,000-₹8,000 per person.

Another migrant in Bengaluru alleged that Aadhaar cards were arranged for ₹2,000-₹3,000 after entering India.

Row Over Documents and Welfare Benefits

Some migrants alleged that local political workers linked to the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) helped arrange voter cards, ration cards and access to welfare schemes after they settled in India.

One woman told ABP News that she received voter and ration cards during the rule of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and also benefited from the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme for several years.

Another migrant claimed he had voted in India once and that his wife received direct cash transfers under state welfare schemes.

The allegations have triggered a sharp political confrontation in the state.

Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari recently claimed that nearly 30 lakh ineligible beneficiaries, including alleged non-citizens, had been identified under the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme and removed from the new Annapurna Bhandar initiative.

Border Fencing Nearing Completion

The renewed focus on illegal immigration has also revived attention on border security infrastructure.

Conrad Sangma recently stated that fencing work along the Indo-Bangladesh border in Meghalaya was nearing completion, with only 40-45 km remaining.

According to the Union Home Ministry, nearly 79% of the 4,096-km India-Bangladesh border had been fenced as of February 2025.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday said the government would not initiate legal proceedings against infiltrators who were voluntarily returning to Bangladesh.

He also praised Suvendu Adhikari for allegedly handing over 600 hectares of land to the BSF, including areas near the strategic Siliguri Corridor or “Chicken Neck”.

Meanwhile, security checks and surveillance have intensified in multiple border districts across West Bengal.

Many Migrants Say They Lived In India For Years

Several migrants waiting near border transit points said they had spent years, and in some cases most of their lives, in India.

One migrant told ABP News that his parents brought him into India when he was around 10 years old and that his family had quietly worked as carpenters for years without facing scrutiny.

Others told media outlets they were now voluntarily returning because they feared detention centres, police action and deportation proceedings amid the ongoing crackdown.