“It will be done within 45 days. Whatever land the BSF (Border Security Force) requires will be provided,” Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said Monday. 

Work on this front is already gathering pace, with the BJP not only in power at the Centre but also in three Indian states that border Bangladesh.

In his victory speech at the meeting of the party’s newly elected members of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly, Union Home Minister and senior BJP leader Amit Shah asserted that the Central government is all set to fix the biggest hole in the country’s national security. He said that with governments in Assam, Tripura, and West Bengal having unity of purpose, the Centre will turn the borders into an impregnable fortress.

The electoral outcome in West Bengal has long carried significance beyond domestic politics because of the state’s strategic location along the international border with Bangladesh. The BJP will now also rule West Bengal, where a Trinamool Congress government was in power for the past 15 years.

A senior government official said, “One of the immediate areas affected by election results is border governance. The state government works alongside India’s central agencies, particularly the BSF, to manage issues such as illegal crossings, cattle smuggling, narcotics trafficking, and cross-border crime.”

Centre-State Sync

Stretching over 2,200 km, the India-Bangladesh border is one of the most densely populated and sensitive frontiers in South Asia. Any change in governance or political mandate in West Bengal often influences administrative priorities, border management, migration discourse, trade coordination, and security cooperation between the two neighbouring countries.

Now a government with a strong electoral mandate may push for more coordinated administrative measures, improved surveillance infrastructure, and enhanced communication with central authorities, the official said.

Political friction between the state and central governments mostly slow policy coordination, affecting the efficiency of border management initiatives, he said.

Land For Fencing

The Ministry of Home Affairs data revealed that out of the total 2,216.7 km Indo-Bangladesh border with West Bengal, 1,647.697 km has already been fenced. The remaining 569.004 km stretch is pending, of which 112.780 km is classified as non-feasible. The rest, a 456.224-km-stretch, is feasible for fencing and other infrastructure work.

However, another MHA official said in case of the leftover stretch, land acquisition has been a major obstacle. “While land for 77.935 km has been handed over, acquisition for the remaining 378.289 km is incomplete,” he said. Out of the remaining area, fencing for 148.971 km was still to be initiated by the previous government.

Notably, illegal migration is one of the most debated aspects of the India-Bangladesh border. Even the electoral campaigns for the recent West Bengal elections focussed on discussions around undocumented migration, citizenship documentation, and demographic concerns in border districts such as Cooch Behar, North 24 Parganas, Malda, and Murshidabad.

Action on border fencing is expected to be both conciliatory and strict in approach as it can influence local sentiments and also perception of India-Bangladesh relations.

“However, now the election results will shape the public discourse, as a conciliatory approach may be adopted in line with humanitarian concerns and regional stability, while a stricter administrative stance will continue the focus on identity verification, border fencing and enforcement operations,” the official said.

He pointed out that such policy directions “can influence both local sentiment and bilateral perceptions between India and Bangladesh”.

Bilateral Relations

India and Bangladesh relations have witnessed turbulence in recent times, particularly after the ouster of the Sheikh Hasina government. 

Many in the government feel that strong administrative continuity can help facilitate bilateral commerce, benefiting local businesses and border communities dependent on cross-border economic activity.

West Bengal serves as a major gateway for land-based trade between India and Bangladesh through checkpoints such as Petrapole-Benapole, one of South Asia’s busiest land ports.

Another important dimension is diplomatic signalling. Although foreign policy is primarily managed by the Government of India, the political atmosphere in West Bengal influences how bilateral relations are perceived at the grassroots level.

Bangladesh closely observes political developments in the bordering Indian state because issues like water sharing, border fencing, river management and cultural exchanges directly affect people on both sides. 

A stable and cooperative political environment in West Bengal is expected to generally support smoother people-to-people relations and regional engagement.