Allegations of continuous harassment and assault of migrant workers from Murshidabad in neighbouring Odisha have triggered serious concern. According to state administration sources, around 30 to 35 migrant workers have faced harassment in the BJP-ruled state over the past three months. It is alleged that Bengali-speaking workers are being targeted merely on suspicion of being Bangladeshi. Fear has spread among migrants, forcing many to either stay confined indoors in Odisha or rush back to West Bengal. There are also allegations that miscreants attack workers with sticks and rods near railway stations such as Sambalpur and Bhadrak when they try to return home.
Former state Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury visited Sambalpur on Sunday and assured migrant workers of his support. The Congress questioned the absence of Trinamool leadership, especially Baharampur MP Yusuf Pathan, during the crisis. Trinamool, however, has issued a counter-response, claiming it is actively working to protect migrant workers and bring them back safely.
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What happened on the ground
According to official data, more than 22 lakh people from West Bengal work as migrants in other states, with Murshidabad being one of the biggest source districts. Tension escalated after allegations that 22-year-old Jewel Rana from Sutir Chakbahadurgram in Murshidabad was beaten to death in Sambalpur on December 26. His friend Ashik Mohammad returned home with a broken leg. Soon after, families in nearby villages began receiving distress calls from relatives working in Odisha, triggering panic. Earlier, 17 workers from Lalgola and Raghunathganj were allegedly detained despite having valid documents. Similar incidents have also been reported from Bihar, where a migrant worker from Beldanga was allegedly beaten in Muzaffarpur.
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Blame game over migrants
Thousands of workers from Bhagwangola, Suti, Rejinagar, Beldanga, Nowda, and parts of Baharampur migrate for work every year. Locals have expressed anger over the absence of MP Yusuf Pathan, saying they have not seen him during the crisis. Congress leaders praised Adhir Chowdhury for standing by migrant families despite losing the last election. Trinamool Rajya Sabha MP and Migrant Workers Board chairman Samirul Islam said the party has taken legal steps, including approaching the Supreme Court and Calcutta High Court, to protect migrant workers and bring them back. As Trinamool and Congress continue to trade charges, migrant workers say they are trapped between unemployment at home and harassment outside, unsure whether recent state initiatives will offer a lasting solution.
