At the Hakimpur BSF border outpost in West Bengal, a quiet exodus is unfolding, with undocumented Bangladeshi nationals forming queues beside a narrow, dusty mud lane. Many are waiting with families to return home after living in India for years without proper documents.

The surge in departures is linked to the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the state. The revision has prompted fear among these migrants that their lack of documentation could lead to questioning or detention. Locals and officials report an increase in those attempting to cross back into Bangladesh.

While political contention brews over the issue in West Bengal, the individuals involved face a more immediate challenge: leaving behind the life they built on false identities and undocumented e

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