Union Home Minister Amit Shah has announced that no case will be registered against those who came to India illegally if they wish to return ‘voluntarily’.
Even before this announcement, every day many people are crossing the border and reaching the border areas of Satakshira and North 24 Parganas of West Bengal to enter Bangladesh.
It was on this border that I met Bacchu Munshi.
He said, “When I was about ten years old, I came to India holding the hands of my parents. It’s been almost 38 years, I got married here, had children. They also got married here.”
Bachchu Munshi told that he lived in the area near Dumdum Airport of Kolkata. He along with his family had reached Hakimpur border post of North 24 Parganas adjoining Satakshira district of Bangladesh.
He claimed that he was actually a resident of Khulna district of Bangladesh.
Many men, women and children like him are reaching Hakimpur border every day. They say that some came to India from Jessore, some from Khulna, some from Satakshira; Some two years ago, some five-six years ago.
Just days after the formation of the new government following BJP’s victory in West Bengal, Chief Minister Subhendu Adhikari announced that ‘Bangladeshi infiltrators’ will no longer be allowed to stay, they will be sent back. Since then, people have been gathering at the border every morning for the last week so that they can return to their country.
Hasanur Ghazi, a local resident of Hakimpur, was saying, “In the beginning, 10-12 people used to come every day, then this number kept increasing. Since three days ago, this number has reached hundreds.”
Many people gathered at the border were saying that they had come to India ‘secretly’ and were living and working in West Bengal ‘illegally’.
a day at the border post
Hakimpur area comes under Swaroopnagar police station of North 24 Parganas. After crossing the BSF post, Tarali village falls, then Sonai river.
Across the river is Satakshira district of Bangladesh.
Mustafa Shaoji, a local resident of Hakimpur, said, “Since the Chief Minister announced that Bangladeshi infiltrators will have to leave the state, people have been gathering here to return to Bangladesh.”
At the border post it was observed that first they were asked to wait in an abandoned house. From there the policemen call every family and check their documents. It is seen whether they have Bangladesh identity card or not; Name, identity, in which district of Bangladesh their ancestral home was, all this is recorded. Photographs are also taken.
After this they have to wait near the border post.
The local administration or BSF did not say anything formally on how they were being sent to Bangladesh. But the people of the Indian village Hakimpur say that they are watching everything.
Hakimpur resident and local businessman Hasanur Ghazi was saying, “At the check post, their documents are being checked, biometrics are being done. Then the BSF takes them towards the border. There is a foot border named Amodia, about four kilometers away from here, from there they are being made to cross. It happens even during the day, and sometimes it happens till night. A lot of documents have to be checked.”
When BBC Bangla reached Hakimpur border post last Wednesday, the same procedure was adopted that day also. After checking the documents, those who wanted to return to Bangladesh were asked to wait.
But he was kept there till evening.
After this, they were put in a bus and taken to the ‘holding center’ or temporary camps built in the area of Swaroopnagar police station.
‘Voter card of India was also made’
Local resident Mustafa Shaoji said that many of the people who had gathered to cross the border and return to Bangladesh have different identity cards of India.
According to him, “Many people have Indian identity card, some even have voter identity card with photograph – we have seen. Not everyone may tell, but some showed us.”
Some people waiting at the border also admitted that they had Indian voter cards. One of them was Bachchu Munshi – who came to Kolkata from Bangladesh about 38 years ago.
He said, “I made a lot of efforts to get a voter card made. Also got Aadhaar card and PAN card made. For the first time, I voted here in 2024.”
But during the intensive revision i.e. SIR in the voter list of 2026, his family’s name was removed from the list.
Meanwhile, after winning the elections and forming the government, the Chief Minister announced that those who have come from Bangladesh and are living illegally in West Bengal, will no longer be allowed to stay.
Nazma, who was present at the border, was saying, “Since the formation of the BJP government, it has been said that we will not be allowed to stay anymore, so I am forced to return to my country. Bangladeshis put me in jail as soon as they are caught. Now that I have been given a chance to go back, I am going.”
She claimed that she was a native of Jessore district of Bangladesh.
‘Will not come back to India now’
The rest of the people who reached Hakimpur border were also saying that only after the BJP government came to power in West Bengal, they ‘understood’ that it would no longer be possible to live in India.
Raisa Parveen, who described herself as a resident of Satakshira district, was saying, “Ever since BJP won, it has been saying that Bangladeshis will not be allowed to stay here. That’s why I want to return with my husband and children. At the time of SIR, when many people returned to Bangladesh, at the same time my parents also left.”
A person named Sheikh Masood Rana was telling that not only is there a government announcement, but also the police is taking strict action in the area where he lived and the landlord also does not want to let him live now.
Akhtarul Moral said, “The police are coming and fighting, saying Bangladeshi people should run away. Last time when SIR was done, it would have been better to leave at that time.”
Shaheen Alam Mollah was saying that now he will not return to India through ‘illegal route’.
“Let’s see what work I can do in my country. But I will not return to India now. Even if I ever come to visit, I will come only after getting a valid passport.”