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Quoting Indian police, AFP on May 29 reported that hundreds of alleged Bangladeshis had gathered over the previous two days at Hakimpur in India’s West Bengal, hoping to cross the border as authorities tightened enforcement under a new state government.

It was part of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) election campaign to “detect, delete and deport” illegal migrants in Assam and West Bengal. BJP won in both states.

The Hindustan Times on May 29 reported that at least 386 undocumented immigrants held across West Bengal over the last week had been sent to 13 holding centres in eight bordering districts of the state.

In a diplomatic note to Bangladesh on April 8, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said it had not received an “actionable response” from Bangladesh regarding the repatriation of 2,868 suspected illegal Bangladeshi migrants since September 2020.

To discuss the issue, Bangladesh High Commissioner Riaz Hamidullah came to Dhaka on May 11.

On May 12, Dhaka also sent a diplomatic note to New Delhi, clarifying a number of issues raised by the MEA on the repatriation of alleged irregular Bangladeshis.

A foreign ministry official said that over the years many Bangladeshis had been repatriated after nationality verification.

“Besides, there are issues with the Indian side as well, including dilly-dallying in providing consular access to the jails, legal procedures, and mismatches in the list of alleged irregular migrants. So, blaming Bangladesh alone is not helpful,” he added.

Last year, there were numerous cases of push-ins of so-called irregular Bangladeshis. However, some of them were later identified as Indian and Myanmar nationals.

“We would definitely want India to maintain due procedures in repatriation, if there are irregular Bangladeshis in India,” a BGB official told this correspondent yesterday.

Border killings also remain a matter of serious concern for Bangladesh.

“We will strongly raise the issue of border killings,” the BGB official said.

According to rights organisation Ain O Salish Kendra, at least six Bangladeshis have been killed or injured in BSF firing or torture along the border between January and May 9, 2026.

It says 594 Bangladeshis were killed by BSF between 2009 and 2023.

According to foreign ministry and BGB officials, the meeting will also discuss preventing the smuggling of drugs, arms, and ammunition; preventing unauthorised infrastructure construction along the border; preserving border rivers; and ensuring Bangladesh receives its fair share of water, among others.