Border Tensions Rise as Provocative Slogans Emerge During Assam CM’s Visit

Karimganj, Assam, August 24 — Tensions at the India-Bangladesh border have escalated following a provocative incident during Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s visit to Karimganj. Bangladeshi nationals at the Zakiganj immigration post reportedly used loudspeakers to broadcast inflammatory slogans directed at India.

The slogans included statements such as, “Those who have their homes in Bangladesh should leave India immediately” and “Boycott Indian goods.” These messages have intensified concerns over deteriorating India-Bangladesh relations, especially in light of recent political upheaval in Bangladesh after the ousting of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government.

The incident adds to ongoing tensions stemming from a recent crackdown on illegal immigration. On August 20, Assam Police arrested Ali Hussain in Hajirhat village, South Salmara district. Hussain, a broker accused of smuggling Bangladeshi nationals into India, was charged with facilitating illegal entries through riverine routes and providing refuge to infiltrators.

Hussain’s arrest followed the detention of a Bangladeshi woman in Dhubri on August 19. She was subsequently deported after revealing that she, along with others, had entered India with the help of brokers like Hussain, paying 2,500 Bangladeshi Taka for his services.

These developments at the border, combined with the recent arrests related to illegal immigration, reflect the fragile state of India-Bangladesh relations, exacerbated by recent political shifts in Dhaka. Both Indian and Bangladeshi authorities remain on high alert as tensions continue to mount in the border regions.