4,800 illegal immigrants sent to Bangladesh, 836 await deportation: Bengal CM

Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said West Bengal has deported around 4,800 illegal immigrants to Bangladesh and 836 are awaiting repatriation. He said curbing illegal immigration and speeding up border fencing, including in the Chicken's Neck corridor, remain priorities.

In Short

• Illegal immigration and border security are government priorities
• State handed over land for BSF fencing on 100 km of border
• Focus on Chicken's Neck corridor in north Bengal for security

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Sunday said around 4,800 illegal immigrants have been deported to Bangladesh from holding centres set up in the state's border districts, while 836 more are currently awaiting repatriation.

Addressing a preparatory meeting for the BJP's special training camp, Adhikari said tackling illegal immigration and securing the India-Bangladesh border remain key priorities for his government.

The chief minister said the state has already handed over land to the Border Security Force (BSF) for fencing nearly 100 km of the border, out of the 556 km stretch that still requires barriers. "We have handed over around 100 km of land to the BSF and prioritised the Chicken's Neck corridor in north Bengal," Adhikari said.

The Siliguri Corridor, popularly known as the Chicken's Neck, is a strategically sensitive stretch connecting the northeastern states to the rest of India.

Highlighting his government's deportation drive, Adhikari said illegal immigrants who do not fall under the ambit of the Citizenship Amendment Act are being handed over directly to the BSF in accordance with Union government regulations.

He alleged that while similar provisions had been implemented elsewhere in the country, the previous Trinamool government had failed to act, allowing illegal immigrants to remain in state facilities at public expense.

- Ends