Prateek Tanmay
2 min readKolkataMay 24, 2026 04:13 PM IST
The West Bengal Government on Friday ordered the establishment of holding (detention) centres in all districts across the state.
The order was issued by the Secretary of the Home and Hill Affairs Department to the state police chief, the Commissioner of Police, the Foreigner Regional Registration Office (FRRO) in Kolkata, and the Superintendents of Police in all districts.
The order, which is available to The Indian Express, outlines the procedure for the deportation of Bangladeshis and Rohingyas apprehended for their illegal stay in India.
“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,” read the order.
The newly elected BJP government in West Bengal has prioritized the issue of illegal immigration. During its first cabinet meeting, the government decided to allocate land to the Border Security Force (BSF) for the fencing of the border with Bangladesh, and has embarked on this initiative with urgency.
On May 20, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari stated that the government will implement a ‘detect, delete, and deport’ strategy for illegal Bangladeshi immigrants in Bengal.
“Those covered under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) are safe here. However, those who are not protected by the CAA and are illegal infiltrators will be arrested by the state police and handed over to the BSF for deportation. Our policy is to detect, delete, and deport,” CM Adhikari emphasized. Additionally, all district police forces, especially in border areas, have been placed on high alert and instructed to identify illegal immigrants.
Story continues below this ad
According to sources, the apprehended Bangladeshis will be housed in holding centers or detention facilities alongside released foreign prisoners. They will subsequently be handed over to the BSF for ‘push back’ into Bangladesh.
