Bangladesh, Nov. 21 -- “Used to be a handkerchief, now its a cat!” — who knew the famous line from Sukumar Rays poem would come true in this manner? Ever since news spread that SIR would be implemented in Bengal, allegations began surfacing that Bangladeshi infiltrators, fearing removal from the electoral rolls, were changing their religious identity. Now that allegation appears to have some truth, as revealed through multiple advertisements published in the name–surname change section of a Bengali newspaper.

According to those advertisements, several members of one Muslim family have changed their surnames and adopted Hindu surnames, which has triggered major controversy. Can someone legally change their religiou...