The West Bengal Police have arrested two Bangladeshi nationals, Nurul Haque and Rafiqul Islam, in North 24 Parganas district for residing illegally in India using forged identity documents. Both individuals had been living in the Dattapukur area for several years and managed to procure fake voter IDs, Aadhaar cards, and PAN cards, which they used to conceal their true identities and avoid detection by authorities.
Nurul Haque had adopted the alias "Narayan Adhikari" to blend in and evade suspicion, while Rafiqul Islam, originally from Madarihat in Bangladesh, had illegally acquired land in India and built a house using fraudulent identification documents. The arrests followed a tip-off to the district police about suspicious activities involving Haque, who was reported to be living in a rented house owned by Rafiqul. Both men had been under the police radar for a considerable period due to their unusual behavior and movements.
During the investigation, it was discovered that Nurul Haque had been living in Rafiqul’s house for nearly four years and operated a fishery business in the area. Rafiqul Islam was known locally as a self-proclaimed private doctor, further raising suspicions about his credentials. Acting on concrete intelligence about their true identities, the police raided Islam’s residence on Sunday and detained both men. The duo was subsequently produced before a Barasat court, which ordered their custody for 14 days to facilitate further investigation.
The police are now delving deeper into the case to understand the extent of the duo’s operations, particularly how they managed to obtain forged identity documents and whether they had any local assistance. Authorities are also looking into the possibility of other illegal immigrants from Bangladesh residing in the area under false identities.
These arrests come amid heightened concerns over illegal immigration along the India-Bangladesh border, which remains a significant security challenge. Ever since political unrest erupted in Bangladesh following the removal of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2023, there has been a noticeable increase in cross-border infiltrations. The interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has struggled to restore stability, prompting many Bangladeshis to seek refuge in India.
The porous nature of the India-Bangladesh border in West Bengal exacerbates the problem. Nearly half of the border remains unfenced, making it a hotspot for illegal crossings throughout the year. According to a senior source in the Border Security Force (BSF), over 2,400 infiltrators were apprehended in the south frontier area of West Bengal in 2024 alone. This underscores the scale of the issue and the challenges faced by security forces.
In response to the rising number of infiltrations, the BSF and West Bengal Police have ramped up vigilance and intensified their monitoring efforts along the border. Special attention has been directed to areas with known vulnerabilities, especially after the political turmoil in Bangladesh. The recent arrests of Nurul Haque and Rafiqul Islam highlight the pressing need for tighter border controls and more robust mechanisms to detect and address illegal immigration effectively. Authorities are determined to ensure that such breaches are curbed and are actively investigating whether the arrested individuals are part of a larger network of illegal immigrants operating in the region.
