3 Bangladeshis detained at Bengal’s 1st holding centre under “Detect, Delete, Deport” policy

The West Bengal government has begun implementing its new “Detect, Delete, Deport” policy targeting alleged Bangladeshi and Rohingya infiltrators, with three Bangladeshi nationals being lodged at a newly created holding centre in Lalgola on Monday. The move came within 48 hours of a state directive ordering districts to establish temporary detention facilities for suspected infiltrators.

According to sources, the holding centre has been set up on the third floor of Padma Bhavan in Lalgola. The three detainees are men aged between 30 and 40, though their identities have not been disclosed. Under the prescribed procedure, they are expected to be handed over to the Border Security Force before being deported to Bangladesh. Officials said the facility was made operational shortly after the state government issued instructions on May 23.

Under the new guidelines, three categories of people can be kept at such holding centres. These include suspected infiltrators detained after allegedly crossing the border illegally, foreign nationals currently lodged in jails who may be shifted to detention centres, and Bangladeshi nationals whose prison terms have ended but whose deportation has been delayed due to legal processes. According to administrative sources, detainees may remain in the centres for up to 30 days before further action is taken.

The issue of illegal infiltration had repeatedly been raised by the Centre against the previous state administration and remained a major political issue during the 2026 Assembly elections. Following the change in government, the state administration moved to implement the Centre’s “Detect, Delete, Deport” framework. Similar holding centre arrangements have also reportedly been made in Birbhum district. The move has drawn criticism from the All India Trinamool Congress, which questioned the detention of individuals based on suspicion and raised concerns over border monitoring.