WB government directs districts to set up holding centres for detained illegal foreigners

The West Bengal Government has directed District Magistrates across the State to set up holding centres for detained illegal foreigners and released foreign prisoners awaiting deportation.

A notification by the Home and Hill Affairs Department of the State government cited guidelines issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs. “Enclosed please find the letter under reference regarding the procedure to be followed for deportation of Bangladeshi/Rohingyas apprehended for staying illegally in this country. In this connection, it is requested to take initiative/appropriate action for setting up of Holding Centres in the district for apprehended foreigners as well as for the released foreign prisoners awaiting deportation/repatriation in accordance with the MHA guideline under reference,” the notification issued on Saturday (May 23, 2026) stated.

The development comes days after Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said that his government would follow a new policy of “detect, delete and deport” while dealing with “illegal infiltrators”.

“Those not covered under the CAA [Citizenship (Amendment) Act] are completely illegal infiltrators. The State police will arrest them and hand them over to the BSF. The BSF will hold talks with the BDR [now Border Guard Bangladesh] and try to deport them. This means a policy of detect, delete and deport,” the Chief Minister had said on Wednesday (May 20).

Last year in May, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) directed all States and Union Territories to identify and verify illegal immigrants from Bangladesh and Myanmar (Rohingyas) within 30 days. The guidelines also required local administrations to set up district-level holding centres and capture biometrics for immediate deportation.

Several migrant workers from West Bengal were detained in other States on suspicion of being Bangladeshi nationals, and some were also pushed into Bangladesh.

Ahead of the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leadership ran a campaign to deport “illegal infiltrators” and fence the borders with Bangladesh if voted to power. The party had accused the previous Trinamool Congress government of not providing land to erect fences along the West Bengal-Bangladesh border.

West Bengal shares a 2,216-km border with Bangladesh, of which about 550 km remains unfenced. The BJP-led government in the State recently handed over land to the BSF for 27-km fencing along the border.