West Bengal

IIE DIGITAL DESK ; May 29: The West Bengal government has set up special “holding centres” across different parts of the state to keep people detained on suspicion of being Bangladeshi nationals or Rohingyas. The state administration has released a detailed report regarding the number of such centres and the number of detainees currently lodged there.

The state administration on Friday morning, a total of 11 holding centres have so far been established across West Bengal. Some of these camps are being operated at the police district level, while others are functioning under administrative district authorities. At present, such centres have been opened in the police districts of Baruipur, Sundarbans, Basirhat, Bangaon, Barasat, Murshidabad, Jangipur and Krishnanagar. In addition, holding centres have also been set up in the districts of Malda, Cooch Behar and South Dinajpur.

Official statistics show that the highest number of holding centres has been established in Basirhat police district, where three such camps are currently operational. The administration has stated that the number of people detained on suspicion of being Bangladeshi nationals or Rohingyas is also highest in this region. In all other districts, one centre each has been set up.

The government data, a total of 335 people are currently being kept in these holding centres across the state. Among them are 148 men, 99 women and 88 children. Out of the total, 19 detainees are being housed in the holding centre under Murshidabad police district, while the remaining centres reportedly have fewer than 10 detainees each.

The ‘Karmatirtha’ building located in Rampur under Tapan block of South Dinajpur district, originally constructed for administrative purposes, is also being converted into a holding centre, and work there is progressing rapidly.

It may be mentioned that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has directed that Bangladeshi nationals or citizens of other countries detained in the state should not be formally arrested. Instead, they will be kept directly in these holding centres and later handed over to the BSF so that they can be deported back to their respective countries.