Himanta Biswa Sarma, Chief Minister, Assam has accused Indian textile factory owners of importing cheap labor from Bangladesh.
Besides discussing the matter with the Central Government, Sarma also raised the issue during the North-East Council (NEC) meeting held last month in Tripura.
The virtual collapse of Bangladesh’s textile industry is contributing to this rise in illegal infiltration, reiterates Sarma. This influx is predominantly from a majority community in Bangladesh, he adds.
In recent weeks, the Assam Police Special Task Force (STF) has intensified its efforts to dismantle sleeper cells connected to Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT), a banned terrorist organization with ties to Al Qaeda in Bangladesh. Several arrests have been made, including that of a Bangladeshi national.
The Assam Government is collaborating closely with the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Intelligence Bureau (IB) to counter these threats. This coordinated effort has led to arrests in other states like Bengal and Kerala as well, Sarma explains.
The government has intensified border security in response to political instability in Bangladesh since August, successfully pushing back thousands of infiltrators, he adds.
Highlighting the broader implications of the infiltration issue, Sarma reiterates the importance of addressing these challenges to maintain national security and economic stability. With strong coordination between state and central agencies, Assam continues to bolster its efforts to tackle illegal immigration and potential terrorism threats.
