Guwahati, Sep 4 (IANS): Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday said that an infiltration attempt by Bangladeshi nationals was foiled by the police and five people from the neighbouring country were "pushed back."
The incident happened in the Karimganj district. Assam Police conducted a late-night operation on Tuesday along the international border to check infiltration from Bangladesh into the Indian territory.
Five Bangladeshi citizens who were caught by the police are identified as Afroja Jahirul Sardar, Tumpa Haque, Ridoy Sk, Akhi Sk and Lakhipur Akhtar.
Taking to X, Sarma wrote: “Our @assampolice personnel are maintaining constant vigil along the Indo-Bangladesh border and alert to thwart infiltration attempts.”
Following the arrest, all illegal immigrants were sent back to Bangladesh by the security personnel.
Earlier, the Chief Minister asserted that people from Bangladesh come to India due to poverty in the neighbouring country after the recent unrest following the departure of the Sheikh Hasina government there. He also claimed that contrary to conventional apprehension, mainly people who belong to the Muslim community have been trying to cross the border and enter India illegally for the sake of jobs.
He said: “It was a popular belief that due to unrest in Bangladesh, Hindus would try to migrate to India; however, contrary to this apprehension, only Muslim people have tried to come here illegally due to poverty. We have asked the Bangladeshi people who were caught by the police and other security forces about the reason for their attempt to migrate to India. Many of them said that due to economic distress in their country, they have tried to come here. Following the recent unrest, many factories and industrial establishments were shut down in the neighbouring country.”
Sarma also stated that security vigil has been beefed up along the international border.
“We have placed additional forces at railway stations and other spots in the Karimganj district which shares a long boundary with Bangladesh. The police and BSF have been arresting Bangladeshi people who tried to illegally enter India. The Tripura state administration is also on alert and they have also caught a few people,” Sarma had said, adding that Assam has been going through a tough time due to unrest in Bangladesh.