In Assam’s Barpeta district, Shona Banu recalls a harrowing ordeal from late May when she was allegedly coerced into crossing into Bangladesh by police under violent circumstances. Banu, 58, who has spent her entire life in Assam, found herself among 13 others forcefully sent to Bangladesh, where they were held for several days without basic necessities.
Banu’s nightmare began when she was summoned to a local police station. Both she and her family have long been trying to establish her Indian citizenship, battling the stigma of being labeled an "illegal immigrant." “They pushed me over at gunpoint. I spent two days without food or water in the middle of a field filled with mosquitoes and leeches,” she recounted, highlighting the brutal conditions faced during her forced deportation.
Although details regarding her situation remain murky, it is part of a troubling trend in Assam, where authorities reportedly have abruptly picked up residents declared 'foreigners' and sent them across the sensitive border into Bangladesh without due process. Recent media investigations found multiple accounts similar to Banu’s, with at least six other families reporting similar experiences, prompting fears of a systemic crackdown against local Muslims, many of whom have deep historical roots in the region.
India shares a porous border of 4,096 km with Bangladesh, where issues surrounding illegal immigration and citizenship have long been contentious. Tensions ran high recently as the Indian government is under pressure to secure the National Register of Citizens amid fears of demographic changes due to migration from Bangladesh.
The situation in Assam has escalated. Reports indicate that Bangladeshi authorities claim India "illegally pushed" over 1,200 people back into Bangladesh within just one month, with the Indian government remaining silent on the allegations.
As debates over citizenship intensify, local lawyers and rights activists have criticized the lack of due process surrounding these deportations. Abdur Razzaque Bhuyan, a lawyer focusing on citizenship cases, stated that many individuals have not received proper legal representation or opportunity to appeal their cases, which he asserts contravenes previous judicial directives.
Meanwhile, families remain in turmoil, unsure of their loved ones’ whereabouts and fearing further abrupt actions. Rita Khatun, whose husband was among those deported, spoke of the struggle to prove their Indian heritage against bureaucratic resistance, while Shona Banu awaits updates on her pending court case often in fear of being targeted again.
“We are not playthings,” expressed Sanjima Begum, whose father was also taken without explanation. “You can’t toss them around as per your whims; these are human beings.” As the situation unfolds, the voices of those affected serve as stark reminders of the complex challenges faced by communities entwined in the struggle for identity, belonging, and survival.
Banu’s nightmare began when she was summoned to a local police station. Both she and her family have long been trying to establish her Indian citizenship, battling the stigma of being labeled an "illegal immigrant." “They pushed me over at gunpoint. I spent two days without food or water in the middle of a field filled with mosquitoes and leeches,” she recounted, highlighting the brutal conditions faced during her forced deportation.
Although details regarding her situation remain murky, it is part of a troubling trend in Assam, where authorities reportedly have abruptly picked up residents declared 'foreigners' and sent them across the sensitive border into Bangladesh without due process. Recent media investigations found multiple accounts similar to Banu’s, with at least six other families reporting similar experiences, prompting fears of a systemic crackdown against local Muslims, many of whom have deep historical roots in the region.
India shares a porous border of 4,096 km with Bangladesh, where issues surrounding illegal immigration and citizenship have long been contentious. Tensions ran high recently as the Indian government is under pressure to secure the National Register of Citizens amid fears of demographic changes due to migration from Bangladesh.
The situation in Assam has escalated. Reports indicate that Bangladeshi authorities claim India "illegally pushed" over 1,200 people back into Bangladesh within just one month, with the Indian government remaining silent on the allegations.
As debates over citizenship intensify, local lawyers and rights activists have criticized the lack of due process surrounding these deportations. Abdur Razzaque Bhuyan, a lawyer focusing on citizenship cases, stated that many individuals have not received proper legal representation or opportunity to appeal their cases, which he asserts contravenes previous judicial directives.
Meanwhile, families remain in turmoil, unsure of their loved ones’ whereabouts and fearing further abrupt actions. Rita Khatun, whose husband was among those deported, spoke of the struggle to prove their Indian heritage against bureaucratic resistance, while Shona Banu awaits updates on her pending court case often in fear of being targeted again.
“We are not playthings,” expressed Sanjima Begum, whose father was also taken without explanation. “You can’t toss them around as per your whims; these are human beings.” As the situation unfolds, the voices of those affected serve as stark reminders of the complex challenges faced by communities entwined in the struggle for identity, belonging, and survival.
