- By Vaidika Thapa
- Fri, 29 May 2026 04:14 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
- Immigrants reveal middlemen helped illegal border crossings.
- Fake Aadhaar cards arranged for Rs 2,000-3,000.
- West Bengal sets up holding centers for illegal immigrants.
India has strengthened its crackdown on illegal Bangladeshi immigrants in border districts of West Bengal. As a result, fear of detention and deportation has forced many illegal migrants to move towards border areas and transit points. Some are even trying to return to Bangladesh on their own.
Immigrants Explain How They Entered India
During this crackdown, several immigrants have spoken openly about how they entered India illegally, how middlemen helped them cross the border, and how identity documents were arranged for them after entering India. Many immigrants also shared details about how organised the illegal crossing was. Some said they crossed rivers at night, while others explained how middlemen, known as “dalals”, closely monitored BSF patrol movements before sending groups across the border whenever they found a gap in security.
A migrant from Bangladesh’s Kushtia district told a local YouTube channel: “They have teams of five to six people. At night, they check which areas have the BSF presence and which do not. The moment they find a gap; they send people across. That's the system.” According to him, the middleman charged around Rs 7,000 to Rs 8,000 per person for the crossing.
10 Minutes To Cross
He added, “Sometimes you have to wait the whole night for a chance to cross. Sometimes it happens within 10 minutes.” Another Bangladeshi migrant speaking to ANI, said he had come to West Bengal two years ago and was brought by a middleman. He added that he works as a bike mechanic and came to India because there were no job opportunities in Bangladesh.
Action against illegal immigrants from Bangladesh 🚨
— Pushpender Shekhawat (@PushpenderSays) May 27, 2026
Illegal immigrants say they have been forced out since the government changed, and neither the judiciary nor the police are listening.
They say they have no jobs in Bangladesh, so they came to India to earn money, and India… pic.twitter.com/VNsxggRhUE
India Today quoted another Bangladeshi migrant in Bengaluru who gave a similar account. He said, “By paying Rs 2,000 to the man who brought people across, he would take us from Bangladesh into India, even with the military at the border.” He further explained how documents were arranged after entering India. "An Aadhaar card was arranged for Rs 2,000 to Rs 3,000. We later traveleld to Bengaluru by train,” he said.
Holding Centres Set Up In Bengal
Border districts in West Bengal have seen increased checking and monitoring in recent weeks. The BJP-led Bengal government has started setting up holding centres for illegal immigrants across the state as part of the ongoing crackdown on infiltration. According to official data, around 335 alleged illegal immigrants are currently being housed at the holding centre in Basirhat.
#WATCH | North 24 Parganas, West Bengal | A large group of allegedly illegal Bangladeshi immigrants gather at the Hakimpur checkpost near the Bangladesh border, after the newly formed, BJP-led, West Bengal government, launched its 'detect, delete and deport' policy. (26.05) pic.twitter.com/ssPlJzHv78
— ANI (@ANI) May 26, 2026
Border Fencing
Meanwhile, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma said that border fencing work along the India-Bangladesh border in Meghalaya is close to completion. India shares a 4,096-km border with Bangladesh. According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, around 79 per cent of the India-Bangladesh border had been fenced by February 2025.