Heightened security measures have been put in place across Assam as unrest intensifies in neighbouring Bangladesh, with Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma warning that developments across the border pose potential threats to the state’s security.
Addressing reporters on the sidelines of an official programme on Monday, Sarma said the Assam government was maintaining close vigil on the evolving situation in Bangladesh and had placed the state on high alert as a precautionary measure.
Expressing concern over reports emerging from across the border, Sarma alleged that members of the Hindu community were facing atrocities amid the ongoing turmoil. He further claimed that individuals currently wielding power in Bangladesh had made statements advocating the inclusion of parts of Northeast India within their country, remarks he described as deeply alarming.
Referring to Assam’s geographical vulnerability, the chief minister said the state had witnessed infiltration from Bangladesh at various points in the past, spotlighting the need for sustained vigilance. He stressed that any instability in the neighbouring country could have direct implications for law and order in Assam.
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Sarma reiterated his earlier comments on what he termed repeated and irresponsible statements by Bangladeshi elements calling for the merger of Northeast India with Bangladesh. Such rhetoric, he said, could not be taken lightly in the context of national security.
Emphasising India’s strategic standing, Sarma asserted that the country would not remain passive in the face of such claims. He noted that India, as a nuclear power and the world’s fourth-largest economy, was fully capable of safeguarding its territorial integrity.
Bangladesh has witnessed renewed unrest following the death of student leader Sharif Osman Hadi, a prominent figure in the anti-government protests that eventually led to the collapse of the Sheikh Hasina government. The developments have raised security concerns in several Indian states sharing a border with Bangladesh.
In Assam, officials confirmed that prohibitory orders have been imposed along the India–Bangladesh border in Cachar district as a precaution to prevent illegal movement and potential threats to public order. Security agencies remain on alert as authorities continue to assess the situation.
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