Scores of undocumented Bangladeshi immigrants gathered near the Hakimpur check post in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district on Tuesday, seeking to cross into Bangladesh.
Officials said around 100 people assembled by evening, marking the second wave of such movement in recent months.
The development follows the newly elected BJP government’s directive to district magistrates to set up holding centres for undocumented immigrants before deportation. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari reiterated that those identified as Bangladeshi nationals should leave voluntarily. He told reporters that the government would not bear the cost of food, clothing, and medicines for undocumented immigrants.
Police officials confirmed that the first wave in November 2025 saw thousands gather at the same border point after the launch of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR). The latest wave reflects renewed pressure on undocumented immigrants.
Several individuals waiting near the crossing told local media they had lived and worked in West Bengal for years but decided to return to Bangladesh. A man from Satkhira said he worked as a mason in Dum Dum Cantonment and left after government pressure. Another resident, Salim Gaji, admitted crossing into India through touts two years ago without documents. A woman, Nusrat Bibi from Jessore, said her family had lived in India for years but chose to return before deportation.
Adhikari directed police to identify undocumented immigrants, detain them, and hand them over to the BSF for deportation. A BSF official from the South Bengal Frontier confirmed that movement towards the border had increased again over the past two days.
