Authorities in India’s West Bengal have set up at least three temporary holding centres near the Hakimpur border in North 24 Parganas to accommodate Bangladeshi nationals who allegedly entered or stayed in India without valid documents and now wish to return home.
According to Indian Police, around 300 Bangladeshis have been detained and taken to the centres while authorities verify their identities and documents before the repatriation process can begin, reports the Telegraph.
Officers said those unable to immediately establish their Bangladeshi nationality are being kept at the holding facilities, awaiting instructions from higher authorities.
Although police sources earlier claimed that 70 Bangladeshis had already been sent back, a senior district police officer said on Friday that no one had yet been formally deported or handed over to India’s Border Security Force (BSF).
“We have so far detained around 300 Bangladeshi nationals, who are willing to return to their homeland in Bangladesh. The verification of their documents is still under way, and it will take time,” the officer said.
The detainees are being housed at three centres in Swarupnagar, about 20km from Hakimpur.
The district administration has arranged food, accommodation and medical support for all detainees, which includes women and children, the Telegraph said.
Several Bangladeshis at the centres said difficulties in securing accommodation following an anti-infiltration drive had contributed to their decision to leave India.
A Bangladeshi woman who worked as a domestic helper said her landlord in Birati asked her family to vacate their rented room, while other landlords refused to rent homes because they could not produce Indian identity documents.
Officers said the current process involves detailed scrutiny by police and civil authorities before deportation, unlike previous instances in which undocumented migrants were allegedly pushed back after crossing the border.
According to the Telegraph, West Bengal government has reportedly decided to facilitate the return of willing Bangladeshi nationals through coordination between the BSF and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), while ensuring the identity of each individual is verified before repatriation.
As the number of detainees increased, authorities expanded the operation from a single holding centre to three facilities.
The additional centres have been established at a flood shelter near Charghat High School and at a school in Media village.
Police have been deployed at all three locations, while health workers are monitoring the detainees’ condition.
Local administration officials said arrangements have also been made for meals and sanitation at the centres, the Telegraph report read.
