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As diplomatic tensions simmer between India and Bangladesh, following the recent political shift in Dhaka, an undercurrent of anxiety is rippling through migrant communities across India. A

silent exodus has begun, as Bangladeshi nationals who had entered India illegally in search of livelihood now seek a way back home. One such group—28 Bangladeshi nationals, including 11 men,

8 women, and 9 children—was apprehended on Thursday near Dinhata railway station in West Bengal’s Cooch Behar district. According to police sources, they were spotted wandering aimlessly,

raising suspicion among local authorities. Advertisement Following routine questioning, Dinhata police confirmed that the group had entered India illegally a few years ago and had been

working as labourers in the northern Indian state of Haryana. Fearing arrest amidst growing scrutiny of Bengali-speaking migrant workers, they left Haryana and began a journey back toward

Bangladesh, making their way through Bihar and Siliguri before arriving at Dinhata—only a few kilometres from the international border. Advertisement “They admitted they had no valid

documentation and had entered India in search of work,” said Krishna Gopal Meena, additional superintendent of police, Cooch Behar. “They were arrested and produced before the court today

under charges of illegal infiltration. An investigation is ongoing to ascertain further details.” This is not an isolated case. Just days earlier, a family of Bangladeshi nationals was

detained in Tufanganj, also in Cooch Behar, under similar circumstances. These incidents are part of a larger trend triggered by intensified verification drives across several Indian

states—particularly targeting Bengali-speaking populations suspected of being illegal immigrants. Sources in the Border Security Force (BSF) and local administration point to active

cross-border trafficking networks that continue to operate in the border regions of North Bengal. Certain stretches along the Indo-Bangladesh border—particularly in areas like Sitalkuchi and

the Tin Bigha Corridor—remain vulnerable to illegal crossings due to their porous nature and the presence of the Bangladeshi enclaves Dahagram and Angarpota within Indian territory. “Local

touts on both sides of the border are still enabling these movements,” a senior security official admitted on condition of anonymity. “Despite high vigilance, the terrain and local

population dynamics make full control difficult.” Many Bangladeshi nationals are reportedly working as rag pickers across various states in India to earn a livelihood, sources said. The

issue has also taken a political turn. In Malda, BJP leaders have renewed calls for stricter verification following the controversial case of Lovely Khatun, a Bangladeshi national who

allegedly managed to acquire Indian documents and was elected as the pradhan of a gram panchayat in Harishchandrapur. Although she was forced to step down after a court ruling, she remains

an elected panchayat member. BJP leaders have demanded her immediate deportation. Interestingly, Khatun had contested the rural polls on a Congress ticket and later joined the Trinamul

Congress before being elected as pradhan. Her case underscores a growing concern about undocumented individuals managing to integrate into local political and administrative systems by

securing identity documents. As the crackdown continues and border security is stepped up, the fate of thousands of undocumented migrants—many of whom have spent years working in the

informal sectors across India—now hangs in the balance. Advertisement