West Bengal orders holding centres for ‘undocumented’ Bangladeshis, Rohingya: reports

The newly-installed West Bengal government has instructed all regional administrators to immediately build containment facilities across the state to house “undocumented” Bangladeshis, Rohingya.

According to the Hindustan Times, the Foreigners’ Branch in the SAARC Visa Section of the state home department headed by Suvendu Adhikari issued the order.

The move comes days after Suvendu made announcements following a meeting with top Border Security Force (BSF) and state police officers where he handed over land for setting up fences over 27km of open stretches of the India-Bangladesh border.

He also ordered authorities to send “illegal” Bangladeshi migrants straight to the BSF after capture, bypassing judicial processes.

The Hindustan Times reported that the official communication sent to regional magistrates specifically outlines the operational steps required to deport Bangladeshi nationals and Rohingya refugees who are residing in the country without valid documentation.

The state government reportedly asked local authorities to take immediate steps to set up these holding facilities to hold both newly captured foreigners and foreign convicts who have completed their prison sentences but are awaiting repatriation.

According to The Indian Express, the directive was widely distributed to top law-enforcement officials, including district police chiefs, commissioners, and the Foreigners Regional Registration Officer in Kolkata.

The Indian Express noted that the chief minister has placed law-enforcing units on maximum alert, particularly in regions adjacent to the international boundary, to track down undocumented residents.

"Those who do not fall under the protection of the Citizenship Amendment Act are deemed completely illegal," Suvendu was quoted as saying by the Hindustan Times.

The BJP had previously claimed during its election campaign that over a million undocumented individuals from Bangladesh and Myanmar were living in the state, the Hindustan Times reported.

The party went on to win a commanding majority of 208 seats in the 294-member state assembly.