West Bengal Leader Claims Nearly 4,800 Alleged Illegal Migrants Sent Back to Bangladesh

Senior West Bengal political leader Suvendu Adhikari has claimed that nearly 4,800 alleged illegal migrants have already been sent back to Bangladesh from holding centers located in border districts of the Indian state.

Speaking on Sunday, Adhikari said that an additional 836 individuals are currently awaiting repatriation to Bangladesh.

However, while providing these figures, he did not disclose when, through which border points, or under what procedures the individuals were returned. Neither the Indian central government nor the West Bengal state administration has so far publicly explained the process used to identify the individuals as illegal migrants.

Addressing a preparatory meeting for a special training camp organized by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Adhikari stated that preventing illegal infiltration and securing the India-Bangladesh border remain among the government's top priorities.

He said that fencing work remains incomplete along approximately 556 kilometers of the border. Of that, around 100 kilometers of land has already been handed over to the Border Security Force (BSF) for construction purposes.

According to Adhikari, particular attention is being given to the strategically important Chicken's Neck Corridor, which connects mainland India with its northeastern states.

He further stated that individuals who do not qualify under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) are being directly handed over to the BSF in accordance with central government regulations. He also alleged that the previous administration led by the All India Trinamool Congress failed to address the issue, allowing alleged illegal migrants to remain in government-run facilities for extended periods at public expense.

Meanwhile, on Monday night, the BSF reportedly took back 10 women, men, and children after an alleged attempt to push them into Bangladesh through the Barabari border area of Panchagarh district. The group had remained in the border area for nearly 70 hours before being returned to Indian territory following communication between the BSF and the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB).

Local sources claimed that floodlights along the border were temporarily switched off during the process.

The developments come amid ongoing discussions between Bangladesh and India regarding border management, migration issues, and allegations of cross-border push-ins, which have recently become a point of diplomatic concern between the two neighboring countries.