Bangladeshis Queue Up Again at Hakimpur Border Two Days After Governor’s Visit

PTI, Hakimpur (WB), Nov 26, 2025 : Two days after West Bengal Governor C.V. Ananda Bose inspected the Hakimpur border outpost to review reports of 'reverse migration', the frontier on Wednesday again witnessed a fresh rush of Bangladeshis turning up with luggage to return home amidst the ongoing SIR verification exercise, officials said.

From early morning, more than 60 Bangladeshis gathered near the Hakimpur checkpost in North 24 Parganas district, resuming the familiar pattern of the past few days when undocumented migrants began voluntarily approaching the BSF to be sent back, they said.

The stretch, however, had worn an unusually deserted look on Monday during the Governor's visit.

Large bags and bundles piled up along the checkpost as the returnees waited for their turn. Many said they had lived for years in different parts of West Bengal and other states on Indian identity documents that they now fear may not withstand the SIR scrutiny.

Jamir Alam, who said he had crossed the border "many years ago" and settled in Pandua's Simlagarh area, was among those waiting to return. "Both my legs have stopped functioning. My parents have passed away. I have no one left here," he said, adding that despite possessing a voter card and Aadhaar, he lacked the required "2002 linkage" under the SIR norms. "So I am going back to an aunt in Bangladesh," he told a news channel.

Another migrant, Mohammad Anis from Satkhira, said he had crossed over with the help of agents after paying "a large amount of money" and worked as a labourer in Delhi for several years. "The SIR exercise has started, so we have come to return," he said.

BSF personnel said most of those arriving at the post in recent days were "self-deporting", and the force was following the guidelines to verify nationality, coordinate with Bangladeshi authorities, and facilitate repatriation.

The governor had visited Hakimpur on Monday evening after reports highlighted the movement of undocumented Bangladeshis returning to their country following the statewide SIR verification. He held a meeting with senior BSF officials and interacted with local residents before leaving the outpost.

Officials said the border remained "quiet" on Monday during the governor's presence, with no returnees turning up through the day. However, the usual flow returned since Tuesday evening as groups of men and women, some elderly and carrying heavy luggage, slowly filled the narrow approach road leading to the border gate.

The reverse movement of undocumented migrants has been visible in pockets of North and South Bengal since the SIR exercise began earlier this month. Over the past week, Hakimpur has become a focal point, with several Bangladeshis voluntarily approaching the BSF each day to go back.

Local residents said the crowd that had disappeared during the governor's visit "reappeared in full strength" since Tuesday evening-Wednesday morning as the verification process continued on the Indian side and coordination with Bangladeshi authorities proceeded for formal handover.