Journalist Zulkar Nain Sayar recently shared a Facebook post citing Indian journalist Gautam Lahiri, president of the Press Club of India in Delhi, who claimed in an interview with a foreign media outlet that around 45,000 Awami League leaders and activists are currently residing in India, primarily in Kolkata. Sayar questioned whether this was the reason behind India's reluctance to issue visas to Bangladeshis, as such a large number could not go unnoticed. He speculated whether the Indian government was deliberately providing them protection or trying to prevent Bangladeshis from discovering their whereabouts. Additionally, he suggested that the ruling BJP might be strategically weakening West Bengal’s economy to undermine Mamata Banerjee ahead of the 2026 state elections, as the region significantly benefits from the 1.8 to 2 million Bangladeshis who visit India annually.