Their blood group, a helpline number and personal details. Migrant workers from West Bengal have begun receiving identity cards with these features, issued by Paschim Banga Parijayi Sramik Aikya Manch (West Bengal Migrant Workers Unity Forum), an NGO.

The initiative, which began on September 8 with 75 workers in Murshidabad, is the first of its kind in the state.

Formed in 2019, the NGO has been assisting migrant workers by sharing information with the state administration and Labour department, helping those detained in other states, and bringing back the bodies of workers who died in accidents outside West Bengal.

“There are no identity cards for migrant workers. The detentions, harassment and even deportation from various states has made it more important that they have some kind of identity card,” said Asif Faruk, state general secretary of the Manch.

“So we thought of issuing them one. It will have their blood group, which is essential if they meet with an accident while working outside Bengal. It will also have personal details, phone number and our helpline,” he added.

Faruk said that the Manch is in touch with workers currently employed outside West Bengal. “We are sending a PDF form of the card and asking them to get a printout. In times of distress, they can show it to the authorities or call our helpline.”

According to the Manch, details and documents of each worker are first collected and verified, including home visits, before the card is issued. Membership is free.

“The primary aim of issuing I-cards is to ease the trouble regarding the identity of Bengali migrant workers in other states. Though it cannot be an alternative to a government initiative, we are showing how the problem can be handled, and why a government intervention is urgently needed,” said Arnab Pal, convenor of the Manch.

For workers like Liaquat Hussain (40), a resident of Bhagawangola in Murshidabad, the card is a first. “I am happy that at least I have an identity card. This is the first time any such card has been issued to us. It has a helpline number, which we can approach when in any kind of trouble. I am working in Mumbai presently in fabrication work. I have been working here for the past 12 years. I had sent my details to the organisation which, after verification, sent me the card,” he said.

Meanwhile, Congress leader and former Baharampur MP Adhir Chowdhury is scheduled to meet President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday at Rashtrapati Bhavan over the issue of alleged harassment, detention and deportation of Bengali migrants in different states.

“I have sought and got an appointment with the President. Tomorrow, I will meet her and highlight the plight of migrant workers of Bengal in different states. For a long time, they have been harassed in other states, but no real attempt has been made to tackle the issue. I aim to highlight their plight to the honourable President. I also call upon anyone to share details of specific cases with me,” Chowdhury said in a video message on social media.