Inside Bengal's holding centres: The new checkpoints in BJP govt's deportation drive

A network of temporary holding centres has begun taking shape across West Bengal as authorities intensify action against alleged illegal Bangladeshi immigrants under the state government’s “Detect, Detain and Deport” policy.

From border districts such as Murshidabad and North 24 Parganas to Siliguri in north Bengal, local administrations have started identifying or activating facilities where undocumented foreign nationals will be kept before deportation proceedings are completed.

The enforcement push has also triggered a wave of movement toward border checkpoints such as Hakimpur, with many suspected undocumented migrants attempting a voluntary return to Bangladesh before formal detention proceedings begin.

HAKIMPUR BORDER SEES RENEWED INFLUX

The Hakimpur border in North 24 Parganas has once again emerged as a major transit point after reports of illegal Bangladeshi infiltrators gathering there from Wednesday morning onward.

According to local inputs, around 35 to 40 people are currently waiting at the border to return to Bangladesh. A day earlier, security agencies reportedly encountered nearly 200 suspected infiltrators in the area. Authorities have temporarily housed many of them in three makeshift holding centres for legal processing before repatriation.

Officials said deportation is being carried out through a layered verification process involving the Border Security Force (BSF) and Bangladesh’s Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB). The procedure includes document checks, biometric registration and digital verification before individuals are allowed to cross into Bangladesh.

Sources indicated that around 50 people were repatriated in an initial batch, while additional groups remain at the checkpoint awaiting clearance.

SILIGURI IDENTIFIES COMMUNITY HALL AS HOLDING CENTRE

In north Bengal, the Darjeeling district administration has identified the Atharakhai Community Hall in Siliguri as a designated holding centre.

The facility falls under the Matigara-Naxalbari Assembly constituency and is expected to house undocumented immigrants detained under the state’s ongoing deportation drive.

The move follows directions issued by the West Bengal government to strengthen infrastructure for handling “apprehended foreigners” and foreign nationals awaiting deportation.

MURSHIDABAD HOLDING CENTRE OPERATIONAL

Murshidabad has also operationalised a holding centre at Lalgola, where three suspected Bangladeshi nationals are currently being housed under tight security. Officials said the trio allegedly crossed the border illegally and had been staying in the Lalgola area before being arrested and shifted to the facility.

The holding centre has been set up temporarily on the third floor of Padma Bhavan, a building adjacent to the Bahadurpur panchayat office under Lalgola police station limits.

Police said round-the-clock deployment has been arranged at the facility and details of the detainees have been shared with the state home department.

The centre became operational shortly after Malda reportedly became the first district in Bengal to establish such a facility, where nine suspected Bangladeshis have already been housed.

‘3D POLICY’ AND THE BORDER EXODUS

The state government’s enforcement push has triggered anxiety among undocumented immigrants living across parts of Bengal, particularly in the Greater Kolkata region.

Under the new “3D Policy” — Detect, Detain and Deport — districts have been instructed to establish holding centres to house undocumented foreign nationals pending repatriation.

The announcement appears to have triggered a wave of self-mobilisation toward border checkpoints such as Hakimpur, with many attempting voluntary return before formal detention proceedings begin.

As security agencies continue verification and deportation procedures, the scenes unfolding at Bengal’s border checkpoints reflect both the state’s intensified enforcement push and the deeply personal consequences playing out among families caught in the process.