Two border districts in West Bengal have become the first in the state to open special “holding centres” for suspected illegal Bangladeshi immigrants and Rohingya detainees before deportation.
The centres, set up in Malda and Murshidabad, became operational just 48 hours after the Bengal government directed all district magistrates to identify and establish such facilities across the state.
According to the report by TOI, nine detainees in Malda and three in Murshidabad were shifted to the newly created centres on Monday.
Unlike earlier cases, the detainees were reportedly not produced before a court or formally arrested under Section 14 of the Foreigners Act. Officials instead said the process currently focuses on nationality verification. If confirmed as illegal entrants from Bangladesh, deportation procedures are expected to follow within the stipulated 30-day period.
The order issued on May 23 asked all districts to create holding centres for “apprehended foreigners” and released foreign prisoners awaiting deportation or repatriation.
The move follows Union home ministry guidelines issued in May 2025 regarding the handling and deportation process for illegal Bangladeshi immigrants and Rohingya individuals staying in India.
New illegal immigrants holding centres in West Bengal?
In Malda, the holding centre has reportedly been set up on one floor of a government training centre for self-help groups in English Bazar.
Security arrangements at the facility include police personnel, civil defence workers, civic volunteers and CCTV surveillance.
Nine women and minors intercepted in the district were moved there on Monday. Sources cited in the report said they had allegedly crossed the border through Hili without valid documents.
In Murshidabad, another holding centre has been created on the second floor of Padma Bhawan in Lalgola.
Three people were shifted there after reportedly being caught near the border with fake Indian passports, forged EPIC cards and other documents.
Murshidabad district magistrate R Arjun was quoted as saying that after verification, the detainees would be handed over to the BSF for pushback.
Why is West Bengal setting up these holding centres now?
The report states that districts across Bengal have now started identifying similar facilities after receiving the state government’s directive.
Officials in other districts, including Birbhum, reportedly said more centres could become operational within days.
The state’s latest action comes nearly a year after the Union home ministry issued detailed deportation guidelines related to illegal Bangladeshi immigrants and Rohingya detainees.
What happens next to the detainees?
Officials indicated that the detainees are currently undergoing nationality verification.
If their Bangladeshi nationality is confirmed, deportation and “pushback” procedures are expected to begin as per the updated process mentioned in the report.
Meanwhile, more holding centres are expected to come up in other districts across West Bengal in the coming days.
(With TOI inputs)
