West Bengal Says 4,800 Illegal Immigrants Deported, 836 Await Repatriation

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Sunday said around 4,800 illegal immigrants have been deported to Bangladesh from holding centres set up in the state's border districts, while 836 more are awaiting repatriation after verification of their nationality.

Addressing a preparatory meeting for the BJP's special training camp, Adhikari described illegal immigration as one of the state's most pressing challenges and said his government has intensified efforts to secure the India-Bangladesh border . He said land has already been handed over to the Border Security Force (BSF) for nearly 100 km of fencing out of the 556 km identified as requiring protection, with priority given to the strategically important Siliguri Corridor , popularly known as the Chicken's Neck.

The chief minister said individuals not covered under the Citizenship Amendment Act are being handed over directly to the BSF in accordance with Union government directives. He also claimed that several undocumented migrants have left voluntarily through border points such as Hakimpur in North 24 Parganas amid the ongoing enforcement drive.

What was largely missing from earlier reports is the growing infrastructure supporting the deportation process. The state has established dedicated holding centres in border districts, including a major facility in Malda, the first of its kind in West Bengal, where more than 150 suspected Bangladeshi nationals were being housed earlier this month pending nationality verification and repatriation. Similar facilities have been opened in Murshidabad as authorities coordinate with the BSF and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB).

The issue has also acquired a diplomatic dimension ahead of the BSF-BGB director general-level talks in New Delhi. Bangladesh has indicated that alleged "push-ins" and border-related concerns will be raised during the meeting, while India has urged Dhaka to expedite verification procedures to facilitate deportations.

Adhikari also announced that house-to-house census surveys will be conducted from August 1 to 15 and said the exercise would be completed by February next year. He further highlighted the government's Annapurna Yojana , under which Rs 3,000 has been transferred to 50 lakh women, describing stricter beneficiary verification as a key step towards improving transparency in welfare delivery.