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HomeLatest NewsResearch Groups and Civil Society Expose Worsening Persecution of Bengali-Speaking Migrant Workers

Research Groups and Civil Society Expose Worsening Persecution of Bengali-Speaking Migrant Workers

– Mohd.Naushad Khan
The Calcutta Research Group (CRG) and Know Your Neighbour (KYN) held a press conference on Tuesday at the Calcutta Press Club.
They highlighted the ongoing harassment, detention, and persecution of Bengali-speaking migrant workers across India.
Speakers included Ranabir Samaddar (Professor Emeritus, CRG), Ahamad Hassan Imran (Chairperson, West Bengal Minorities’ Commission), Sabir Ahamed (Convenor, KYN & Member, CRG), Sabyasachi Basu Ray Chaudhury (Professor, Rabindra Bharati University & President, CRG), and Samata Biswas (Assistant Professor, The Sanskrit College and University & Member, CRG).
They presented testimonies, field reports, and analyses. Ahamad Hassan Imran spoke on the targeting of Bengali-speaking Muslims. Sabir Ahamed linked the crisis in education with the rise in migration to other states.
Since May 2025, incidents have been reported in Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat. Many detained workers had valid Aadhaar, voter IDs, and other documents.
Authorities still suspected them of being undocumented “Bangladeshis.” Some officials even called the Bengali language “Bangladeshi,” despite it being recognised in the Constitution.
In many cases, detainees could contact families only after long confinement. Authorities often failed to verify identities using legal procedures or by consulting the West Bengal government.
Reports included forced deportations to Bangladesh, violence causing serious injuries, abductions, extortion, and demolition of homes. These were common in Gujarat, Delhi, and Gurgaon.
The crisis forced many migrants to return home. The scenes were compared to the lockdown and the workers’ march back home in 2020.
Speakers condemned the profiling of Bengali-speaking migrants as “Bangladeshis” or “Rohingyas.” They called it discriminatory, unconstitutional, and harmful to social harmony.
CRG and KYN released a compilation of newspaper reports on recent incidents. They also released a booklet with background information, democracy concerns raised by migrant workers, and recommendations.
The meeting demanded:
1. Immediate stop to arbitrary detentions and deportations.
2. Strict adherence to legal identification procedures.
3. Cooperation between states to verify identities.
4. Safeguards against racial and linguistic profiling.
5. Recognition of migrant workers by central trade unions and protection of their rights.
6. An all-party fact-finding visit to affected areas.
Organisers urged media, civil society, and policymakers to treat this as a serious human and labour rights issue.
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