Assam: Over 1.66 lakhs illegal immigrants identified in the state; More than 30,000 Bangladeshi intruders deported

Guwahati: The Assam Assembly was informed on Wednesday, February 19 that 1.66 lakh individuals (Bangladeshi intruders) have been identified as “illegal immigrants” under the provisions of the Assam Accord, with over 30,100 of them deported from the state to date. The data, shared by Implementation of Assam Accord Minister Atul Bora, underscores the state’s ongoing efforts to address decades-long concerns over illegal migration from Bangladesh.

In a written reply to Congress MLA Abdur Rahim Ahmed, Minister Bora revealed that a total of 1,65,531 immigrants were detected as residing illegally in Assam until December 31, 2024. Of these, 32,870 intruders entered the state between 1966 and 1971, while the majority 1,32,661 arrived after March 1971, the cutoff year mandated by the Assam Accord for determining citizenship.

The minister stated that 30,115 illegal foreigners have been deported so far, Historically, Assam has faced migration from neighboring Bangladesh, a contentious issue that has shaped the state’s socio-political landscape for decades.  Huge scale illegal migration from Bangladesh has changed the demography of several districts of the state.

Context of the Assam Accord

The Assam Accord, signed in 1985 after a six-year anti-immigration ‘Assam Agitation’ , remains the cornerstone of identifying and deporting undocumented migrants. It stipulates that individuals who entered Assam after March 24, 1971, are to be declared foreign nationals and expelled. While those who arrived between 1966 and 1971 were stripped of voting rights for a decade, post-1971 migrants face outright deportation.

Minister Bora’s report highlights the scale of the challenge: despite identifying over 1.65 lakh illegal immigrants since the Accord’s implementation, deportations remain a fraction of the total. Indigenous organisations including AASU believe that several lakhs of illegal immigrants are residing in the state. Meanwhile, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has reiterated its commitment to fulfilling the Assam Accord, linking it to national security and cultural preservation.