How much do Bangladeshi migrants pay to enter India illegally?
Several migrants claimed they entered India through riverine and agricultural stretches along the India-Bangladesh border with the help of dalals, or middlemen.
Many of those preparing to return to Bangladesh have shared accounts of how they allegedly entered India over the years, describing networks of middlemen, forged documentation and alleged assistance in obtaining Indian identity papers and welfare benefits.
'Rs 7,000-8,000 to cross the border'
Several migrants claimed they entered India through riverine and agricultural stretches along the India-Bangladesh border with the help of dalals, or middlemen.
Speaking to local YouTube channel Haldia Live, a migrant from Bangladesh's Kushtia district alleged that agents tracked Border Security Force (BSF) patrol movements and facilitated crossings during gaps in surveillance.
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According to him, migrants sometimes waited through the night for an opportunity to cross, while in other cases entry allegedly took only a few minutes.
The migrant claimed that the network charged around Rs 7,000 to Rs 8,000 per person for facilitating illegal entry into India.
Claims over Aadhaar cards
Another migrant interviewed in Bengaluru alleged that Aadhaar cards could be arranged after entering India for around Rs 2,000 to Rs 3,000, said a report in The Outlook India. The claims come amid increased scrutiny of identity documents and citizenship verification processes in border districts.
The allegations have not been independently verified.
Allegations over voter cards, ration cards
Some migrants also alleged that local political workers linked to the Trinamool Congress helped them obtain voter cards, ration cards and access to welfare schemes after settling in India.
One woman told ABP News that she received voter and ration cards during the tenure of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and benefited from the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme for several years.
Another migrant claimed he had voted in India and that his wife received direct cash transfers under state welfare programmes.
Welfare benefits under scanner
Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari recently claimed that nearly 30 lakh ineligible beneficiaries, including alleged non-citizens, had been identified under the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme and excluded from the state's Annapurna Bhandar initiative.
The issue has become a major flashpoint between the BJP and the ruling Trinamool Congress, with both parties trading charges over illegal immigration and welfare distribution.
Border security back in focus
Conrad Sangma recently said fencing work along the India-Bangladesh border in Meghalaya was nearing completion, with only 40-45 kilometres remaining.
According to the Union Home Ministry, nearly 79 per cent of the 4,096-km India-Bangladesh border had been fenced as of February 2025.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah recently said legal action would not be initiated against infiltrators who voluntarily return to Bangladesh.
He also praised Suvendu Adhikari for allegedly facilitating the transfer of land to the BSF, including areas near the strategic Siliguri Corridor, commonly known as the "Chicken Neck".
Meanwhile, surveillance and security checks have been stepped up across several border districts in West Bengal.
Many say they spent years in India
Several migrants waiting near transit points told media outlets that they had spent years, and in some cases most of their lives, in India.
One migrant told ABP News that he was brought into India by his parents at around the age of 10 and had worked as a carpenter for years without attracting attention from authorities.
Others said they were now returning voluntarily because they feared detention centres, deportation proceedings and intensified police action amid the ongoing crackdown.
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