A clutch of dreaded D-words descended on Bengal on Wednesday with chief minister Suvendu Adhikari declaring his government would start detecting illegal Bangladeshis,
detaining them and handing them over to the BSF to be deported.
“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.
“We will implement the order from today, arresting all such illegal immigrants and handing them over to the BSF….”
Suvendu was speaking at an event to hand over land for fencing the
Bangladesh border.
He said immigrants who had crossed over into India before December 31, 2024, and were eligible to apply for citizenship under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, would not be arrested. Muslims are outside the purview of the Act.
“All other illegal immigrants will be detained and handed over to the BSF.... From now on, the process of detect, delete and deport will start in Bengal,” the chief minister said.
He did not specify what he had meant by “delete”, but sources said Suvendu was perhaps referring to deletions from the electoral rolls.
Officials said the police would now start identifying Muslim immigrants from Bangladesh and hand them over to the BSF, which will take up the matter of their deportation with the Border Guard Bangladesh.
Dhaka says it will take back only documented and verified nationals.
“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.
Sources in the state administration flagged that one of the BJP’s most important election promises was “detect, delete and deport”.
“The delete part — removing ineligible voters from the rolls — has already been accomplished,” an official said.
A political observer said: “Detention and deportation will now start. Let’s see what impact it leaves on society.”
He added: “Illegal immigration from Bangladesh has remained a perennial problem in Bengal, but sudden action to detect Muslim immigrants could disturb the atmosphere.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had at his Assembly poll rallies repeatedly alleged that Bengal’s demography was changing fast because of illegal immigration from Bangladesh.
Sources said the BJP-led Assam government of Himanta Biswa Sarma had begun detecting illegal immigrants from Bangladesh as soon as the Centre sent the letter in May last year.
“So far, Assam police have detected and detained several hundred Bangladeshi illegals. But there is a process to be followed before deporting them,” a source said.
“The foreigners’ tribunals of the state have so far ordered the deportation of more than 50 such immigrants after following due procedure.”
Suvendu, who attended Himanta’s May 12 swearing-in in Guwahati, had said on the sidelines of the event that he considered Himanta his elder brother. He had indicated that Bengal would follow the measures Assam had adopted on illegal immigration.
Soon after the swearing-in, Himanta had shared two photographs with Suvendu on his X handle and written: “Bad days for... (You know who).”
Land for fencing
“We are handing over land to erect 27km of fencing along the Bangladesh border,” Suvendu said.
“We are also handing over land to set up a few border outposts and some other infrastructure for the BSF to strengthen our borders.”
He said fencing would be erected along 1,600km of Bengal’s 2,200km border with Bangladesh.
“The previous government could have given land for fencing 555km, but refrained from doing so to save its vote bank and appease a certain section of the people,” he said.
Explaining why fencing was necessary, the chief minister said: “It has been found that illegal immigrants from Bangladesh are responsible for crimes such as anti-national activities and atrocities on women and children, not only in Bengal but across the country.”
