The West Bengal government has directed all district magistrates to set up holding centres for suspected illegal foreigners and foreign prisoners awaiting deportation or repatriation in line with Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) guidelines.
According to an official communication issued by the Home and Hill Affairs Department, districts have been asked to take necessary steps for housing individuals identified as staying illegally in the country, including those who have completed prison sentences and are awaiting deportation. The directive instructs authorities to act as per the MHA framework on deportation and repatriation procedures for Bangladeshi nationals and Rohingyas found residing illegally in India.
Earlier, West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari directed the state police officials to directly hand over illegal Bangladeshi immigrants to Border Security Force (BSF), rather than presenting them in court.
Fencing work has also begun along the India-Bangladesh border in the Phansidewa area of Siliguri subdivision after the West Bengal government handed over 27 kilometres of land to the BSF, marking a key step toward strengthening border security in the region. The move is expected to bolster surveillance and improve security infrastructure along the sensitive international border.
