The Bengal government has ordered all district administrations to set up ‘holding centres’ for apprehended foreigners and foreign prisoners awaiting deportation or repatriation, according to news agencies.
In a letter issued on Saturday, by the home and hill affairs department to district magistrates, officials were asked to initiate the process in line with Union home ministry guidelines concerning the deportation of “Bangladeshi/Rohingyas apprehended for staying illegally in this country”.
The Home and Hill Affairs Department of Bengal wrote a letter to the district magistrates of all districts on May 23, 2026, on the setting up of holding centres for apprehended foreigners, as well as for the released foreign prisoners awaiting deportation/repatriation. (Screen grab from social media)
“It is requested to take initiative/appropriate action for setting up of Holding Centres in the district for apprehended foreigners as well as for the released foreign prisoners awaiting deportation/repatriation in accordance with the MHA guideline under reference.," the order said.
Chief minister Suvendu Adhikari had said on Wednesday that the state government would implement Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) laws relating to illegal immigration and infiltration under the policy of “detect, delete, deport.”
“The Indian government had sent an order on May 14, 2025, asking the Bengal government to identify Bangladeshi immigrants and hand them over to the BSF for deportation. But the previous government did not act,” Suvendu said at Nabanna on Wednesday.
A senior state government official told PTI the move was aimed at streamlining the process of detention and repatriation in accordance with central guidelines.
"The districts have been asked to create the required infrastructure so that foreigners awaiting deportation can be housed in a regulated manner till the legal formalities are completed," the official told PTI.
Another senior official added, "The order is procedural in nature and meant to ensure that district administrations remain prepared to handle such cases as per prescribed norms.," reported PTI.
According to the Bengal government, individuals eligible under the CAA who entered the state before December 31, 2024, could be granted legal citizenship status.
“Non-Muslim immigrants — Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians — can apply for citizenship under the CAA if they have arrived from Bangladesh, Pakistan or Afghanistan before December 31, 2024,” a senior government official said.