Amid the ongoing unrest in Bangladesh, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has asserted that Hindus in the neighboring country are standing their ground and are not attempting to cross into India. In a statement made on Saturday, Sarma emphasized that while Hindus are enduring the crisis within Bangladesh, Muslim infiltrators have been detected and apprehended by authorities at the Indian border.
Hindus in Bangladesh Standing Firm
Speaking to the media in Silchar, Chief Minister Sarma remarked, “Hindus are fighting and staying in Bangladesh. In the last one month, we have not detected a single Hindu person, but we have arrested 35 Muslim infiltrators in the last month. Today also, I tweeted that we arrested two people in Karimganj and pushed them back yesterday night.” This statement underscores the resilience of the Hindu community in Bangladesh, which, according to Sarma, is not seeking refuge in India but instead appealing for security measures from the Indian government.
No Evidence of Hindu Migration to Assam
The Assam Chief Minister further clarified that there has been no recorded influx of Hindu migrants from Bangladesh into Assam. “We intercepted and pushed them back and fortunately or unfortunately, they belong to one community, not Hindu. Hindus are fighting and no Hindu tries to come to India. Hindus are only requesting our Prime Minister to impress upon the government of Bangladesh to ensure security,” Sarma stated.
This narrative is supported by the Assam Police’s recent activities at the border, where they have been vigilant in intercepting illegal entries. Sarma’s comments reflect a broader concern regarding the security and stability of the region, as well as the political implications of such migration patterns.
Recent Arrests and Border Security
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Chief Minister Sarma disclosed that two Bangladeshi nationals were apprehended at Badarpur railway station by Assam Police. “Two Bangladeshi nationals were apprehended at Badarpur railway station by @assampolice. The apprehended individuals were identified as Masum Khan, Modelganj Police Station in Bangladesh and Sonia Akhtar, Dhaka, Bangladesh. They reportedly entered India through the Madhoppur (BD)-Agartala route and were en route to Bangalore. In collaboration with the BSF, Assam Police successfully pushed them back across the border last night,” Sarma shared on X.
This incident is part of a broader pattern of infiltration attempts, which the Assam government has been actively combating. The Chief Minister’s emphasis on pushing back infiltrators and his assertion that these individuals do not belong to the Hindu community highlights the state’s approach to managing border security and addressing the complexities of cross-border migration.
Context of the Crisis in Bangladesh
The current turmoil in Bangladesh began in early July, sparked by widespread protests demanding reforms to the quota system that reserves civil service jobs for specific groups, including descendants of veterans from the 1971 war. These protests have escalated into a significant national crisis, raising concerns about the stability of the region and the potential for cross-border implications.
