The West Bengal government has handed over 1,024.75 acres of land to the Border Security Force (BSF) to speed up the construction of fencing along the India-Bangladesh border. The land covers 172.6 km of the international boundary across nine districts. The move aims to remove long-pending hurdles in the fencing project and strengthen border security.

Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced the development on Tuesday. He said the state government had completed the land transfer to help the BSF continue work in areas where fencing had remained pending. The transfer covers several important border districts that share a long boundary with Bangladesh.

Murshidabad has received the largest share of the land transfer. The district has handed over 337 acres for fencing along 45.4 km of the border. North 24 Parganas follows with 241.03 acres covering 42.07 km. Cooch Behar has transferred 135.33 acres for 39.39 km of fencing.

Malda has handed over 176.78 acres for 20.15 km of fencing. Nadia has transferred 95.11 acres covering 14.79 km. South Dinajpur has provided 26.41 acres for 7.75 km of the border. Darjeeling has transferred 4.31 acres for 1.45 km of fencing. North Dinajpur has handed over 6.61 acres covering 1.28 km, while Jalpaiguri has transferred 2.17 acres for 0.31 km.

In a post on X, Adhikari said: “Ensuring national security and strengthening our borders is the top priority for our govt. In our commitment to securing the India-Bangladesh border, we have expedited the land transfer process to the Border Security Force (BSF) for the construction of essential fencing. As of Tuesday, a total of 1,024.75 acres of land spanning across 172.6 km has been formally handed over for this purpose.”

Officials said the transfer of land will remove one of the biggest obstacles that had slowed the fencing project. The BSF can now move ahead with construction in areas where work had remained pending due to the lack of available land. The government expects the transfer to speed up the completion of the remaining sections of the border fence.

Adhikari also reaffirmed the government's commitment to strengthening border security. He said, “We remain steadfast in our resolve to complete these projects to ensure a safer and more secure environment for our citizens.”

West Bengal shares a 2,217-km-long international border with Bangladesh. Around 1,600 km of this border already has fencing. The remaining stretches are under different stages of construction. The Centre had earlier alleged that the previous Trinamool Congress government had not provided the required land for the fencing work. Illegal migration from Bangladesh has remained a major concern in the state for many years.

After taking office, the BJP government decided in its first Cabinet meeting to complete all pending land transfers needed for border fencing within a strict 45-day deadline. The decision aims to remove administrative delays and help complete the India-Bangladesh border fencing project at a faster pace.

Following the Ministry of Home Affairs guidelines, the state government has also started a drive to identify undocumented foreign nationals. It has also begun setting up holding centres as part of its border management measures.

Meanwhile, BSF Director General Praveen Kumar visited the coastal areas along the India-Bangladesh border in the Sundarbans delta and nearby regions on Tuesday. During the visit, he reviewed the operational preparedness of the force, assessed the border security network and inspected the progress of the ongoing fencing work.

Kumar also interacted with local residents and government officials during his visit. Later, he chaired a high-level review meeting with all stakeholders involved in the fencing project and border management. The meeting focused on improving coordination among different agencies and strengthening the overall border security system.

The latest land transfer marks a major step in accelerating the border fencing project in West Bengal. With administrative hurdles cleared in several districts, the BSF is expected to push ahead with construction and strengthen security along the India-Bangladesh border.