The campaign follows a landslide electoral victory by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s BJP in West Bengal, where the party pledged to “detect, delete and deport” illegal migrants.

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said on Sunday that 4,800 Bangladeshi citizens had already been deported after being held in newly established detention facilities across the state.

“We have started the work of deporting Bangladeshi infiltrators who do not fall under the purview of the Citizenship Amendment Act,” Adhikari told reporters in Kolkata.

He said the government established holding centers in every district during May and that a further 836 people were currently being held pending deportation.

India and Bangladesh share a long and porous border, and migration between the two countries has historically been driven by economic opportunities, family ties and cross-border cultural links.

The new state administration has also ordered detention measures for Rohingya refugees, members of a predominantly Muslim minority who fled persecution in neighboring Myanmar.

The deportation drive has renewed debate over immigration and citizenship in one of India’s most politically sensitive border regions.

Senior BJP leaders have frequently described undocumented migrants as “infiltrators,” arguing that illegal migration places pressure on public resources and alters demographic balances.

Critics, including civil rights advocates and opposition groups, contend that the government’s rhetoric and enforcement measures disproportionately affect Muslim communities and risk undermining due process protections. Human rights organizations have previously accused Indian authorities of forcibly expelling Bengali-speaking Muslims without adequate legal review.

The crackdown comes as diplomatic relations between India and Bangladesh continue to recover from tensions that emerged after the 2024 political upheaval in Dhaka, which ended the rule of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, a close partner of New Delhi.

A new government elected in Bangladesh in February has sought to stabilize ties with India. Border security chiefs from both countries are scheduled to meet in New Delhi on Monday to discuss cross-border issues, including migration and security cooperation.

The accident occurred in Afghanistan’s eastern Laghman province along the Kabul-Nangarhar highway, a key transport route linking the capital Kabul with the country’s eastern regions.

The passengers were among Afghan nationals returning from neighboring Pakistan amid ongoing deportations and migration enforcement measures that have accelerated cross-border movements in recent years.

Abdul Malik Niazai, spokesperson for the Laghman provincial governor, said the truck plunged into a ditch after overturning. He reported that 10 children and five women were among those killed in the crash.

Aminullah Sharif, the provincial director of public health, confirmed the death toll at 22 and said approximately 36 people were injured. The wounded were transported to hospitals in neighboring Nangarhar province for treatment.

Officials said preliminary information indicated the driver fell asleep before the vehicle veered off the road and crashed. Authorities did not immediately provide details on the truck’s capacity or whether passengers were being transported in conditions compliant with transport regulations.

The victims were among thousands of Afghans who have recently returned from Pakistan, which launched a crackdown on undocumented migrants in 2023 and has since deported or pressured large numbers of Afghans to leave. Iran has also intensified expulsions of Afghan migrants, contributing to a sustained flow of returnees into Afghanistan.

Millions of Afghans have returned from Pakistan and Iran in recent years, including many who were born abroad or had spent decades living and working in the two neighboring countries.

In a separate incident, officials in eastern Nuristan province said a vehicle plunged into a river late on Friday, injuring its driver and leaving four passengers missing. Rescue teams continued search operations on Saturday.

Road accidents remain a persistent challenge across Afghanistan, where aging infrastructure, poorly maintained roads and limited enforcement of traffic regulations contribute to high rates of fatal crashes.