Murshidabad, 25 July (H.S.): Police in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district arrested 10 Bangladeshi nationals in separate operations across Lalbagola, Bhagawangola and Shamsherganj police station areas in a single day. The accused are reportedly residents of Chapai Nawabganj and Rajshahi districts of Bangladesh.

According to police sources, the accused had allegedly entered India illegally with the help of middlemen and obtained forged Indian identity documents to work as migrant labourers in different parts of the country. They were intercepted while allegedly attempting to return to Bangladesh. The arrested persons have been sent to the holding centre at Lalgola.

Seven Bangladeshi nationals were detained from the Baira Mirpur area under Lalgola police station late Friday night. Police said all seven were residents of Chargayeshpur village in Chapai Nawabganj district of Bangladesh. Another Bangladeshi national, reportedly from Godagari police station area in Rajshahi district, was apprehended near Bhagawangola railway station.

According to the officer-in-charge of Lalgola police station, the seven accused had allegedly crossed the Lalgola border illegally around six months ago and travelled to southern India, where they worked in the construction sector. Police alleged that they used forged Indian documents to secure employment.

The accused had recently returned to Lalgola and were allegedly planning to cross back into Bangladesh through the Baira Mirpur area when local residents alerted the police. During questioning, the seven reportedly admitted to entering India illegally in search of employment, police said. The person arrested in Bhagawangola also allegedly gave a similar statement.

Bhagawangola SDPO Biman Halder said, “A total of eight people have been arrested from the Lalgola and Bhagawangola police station areas. All of them have been sent to the Padmabhavan Holding Centre. Following completion of the necessary procedures, they will be sent back to Bangladesh. The process is underway.”

Meanwhile, two more Bangladeshi nationals were arrested in the Shamsherganj police station area before they could allegedly cross the border.

The arrests come amid heightened security concerns along the India-Bangladesh border. The Union Home Ministry and the Border Security Force (BSF) have maintained a strict stance on alleged infiltration. According to local administrative sources, 468 acres of land have already been handed over to the BSF in the district, while fencing work and surveillance measures are also being strengthened.

Despite these measures, incidents of alleged illegal border crossings continue to raise concerns. The latest arrests have also prompted questions over how individuals are allegedly managing to evade border surveillance and obtain forged Indian identity documents.

Local residents have expressed concern over the security of the India-Bangladesh border and called for stricter monitoring of illegal crossings and the networks allegedly involved in providing forged identity documents.

---------------

Hindusthan Samachar / Priyanka Pandey