A Bangladeshi man named Newton Das, who participated in the ‘student protests’ that led to the undemocratic ouster of Sheikh Hasina as Prime Minister, has turned out to be a voter in the Indian State of West Bengal.
The revelations were first made by TV9 Bangla in a report published on Saturday (7th June). The name of the Bangladeshi national has featured in the electoral roll of Kakdwip town in the South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal.
While the Vidhan Sabha constituency of Newton Das is Kakdwip, the Parliamentary constituency happens to be the reserved seat of Mathurapur. His brother Tapas Das (who lives in India) had conceded that Newton is a Bangladeshi citizen.
According to TV9 Bangla, the accused had reportedly come to India to study. He had since returned to Bangladesh.
In the meantime, Newton Das managed to secure voting rights in West Bengal under the administration of the ruling Trinamool Congress government.
His brother Tapas Das confirmed, “He (Newton Das) must be a voter in Bangladesh. He was born there. He had come to India after Covid-19 outbreak to settle some land disputes. I do not know where he lives now. I don’t know how he became a voter here.”
Kakdwip Panchayat member has confirmed that Newton Das is a local voter, but claimed not to know about the latter’s ties to Bangladesh.
Another shining example of the so-called “Egiye Bangla Model”!
The same Newton who was seen wielding a stick during Bangladesh’s quota reform movement is now a registered voter in Kakdwip, West Bengal!
Thanks to the special encouragement of the failed Chief Minister… pic.twitter.com/ehadHxknJy
— Dr. Sukanta Majumdar (@DrSukantaBJP) June 7, 2025
The accused got into trouble after pictures of him participating in the 2024 student protests in Bangladesh surfaced online. He was seen posing with sticks and flags during the demonstrations held against the Sheikh Hasina government.
BJP (West Bengal) President Sukanta Majumdar tweeted, “Another shining example of the so-called “Egiye Bangla Model”! The same Newton who was seen wielding a stick during Bangladesh’s quota reform movement is now a registered voter in Kakdwip, West Bengal!”
He added, “Thanks to the special encouragement of the failed Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the ruling party of
TMC has taken a leading role not just in the chop industry, bomb-making industry, and the cut money industry — but also in the thriving “illegal infiltration industry.” Without Trinamool Congress, the people of Bengal could never have truly understood the extent of this model.”
“Thousands of Bangladeshi “Newtons” voting in Bengal—courtesy of Mamata Banerjee’s infiltration theory and appeasement politics. With illegal voters and these lathi-wielders miscreants as her support base, she’s not running West Bengal… she’s scripting a blueprint for Greater Bangladesh,” the BJP leader concluded.
— Dr. Sukanta Majumdar (@DrSukantaBJP) June 7, 2025
In the meantime, a picture of Newton Das with Trinamool Congress leader Subhashish Das has surfaced on social media. The TMC leader from Sundarbans was seen celebrating the birthday of the accused.
While talking to TV9 Bangla, Subhashish Das claimed to have ‘no knowledge’ about the Newton’s Bangladeshi citizenship and eventual participation in ‘student protests.’
The accused Newton Das has ‘cried foul’ over the matter. In a video released on social media, he claimed to be an Indian citizen.
Newton alleged that he visited Bangladesh to settle land disputes after being made the heir in 2024, and his visit somehow ‘coincided’ with the student protests.
“I have been a voter in Kakdwip since 2014. I also participated in the 2016 Vidhan Sabha election. However, I lost my voter card in 2017 but successfully got a new card by 2018 with the help of our MLA,” the accused claimed.
Earlier in May 2022, it came to light that a Trinamool Congress candidate named Alo Rani Sarkar who contested the 2021 West Bengal Vidhan Sabha election is a Bangladeshi national.
