Assam Police, BSF Deport Bangladeshi National; CM Himanta Reaffirms ‘Detect and Deport’ Policy

The Assam Police, in cooperation with the Border Security Force (BSF), deported a Bangladeshi national, who had illegally entered Assam on May 15.

In an 'X' post, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the Bangladeshi citizen was handed over to Border Guards Bangladesh on Friday.

"A Bangladeshi national, who illegally entered Assam was apprehended by Assam Police on 15 May. In cooperation with BSF, the individual was handed over to Border Guards Bangladesh. Detect and Deport is being implemented in thoroughness to contain illegal immigration," the 'X' post from CM Himanta said.

The Assam government has been carrying out eviction drives across several districts as part of its campaign against alleged illegal encroachments on government and forest land.

Earlier on May 17, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government in the State is "committed to reclaiming over 1,250 square kilometres of encroached land" and asserted that the administration has already begun work on the ground to achieve the target.

Why is Assam pushing to reclaim 1,250 sq km of encroached land under NDA 3.0?

Sharing a post on X, Sarma wrote, "NDA 3.0 is committed to reclaim over 1250 sq km of encroached land in Assam. We are already on the ground working towards realising this promise."

The Chief Minister also shared glimpses from Saturday's anti-encroachment operation conducted by the state administration.

This comes weeks after Assam Chief Minister Sarma backed conducting a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in the State.

Meanwhile, the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) opposed any move to conduct a new socio-economic or citizenship-related survey in Assam, calling it a "waste of time" that would only cause unnecessary harassment to the public.

Speaking to ANI on the proposal of a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in the state, AIUDF General Secretary Rafiqul Islam argued that the National Register of Citizens (NRC), which underwent half a decade of intense scrutiny, should be treated as the final word on the matter.

(With inputs from ANI)