Assam: 15 Bangladeshi intruders declared as foreigners by FT court asked to leave Indian territory within 24 hours

GUWAHATI: Fifteen Bangladeshi intruders were asked by the administration to leave Assam within 24 hours on 17th December. In an order signed by Nagaon District Commissioner (DC) Devasish Sharma, 15 Bangladeshi intruders who had been residing in Assam for an extended period and had been declared foreigners by the Foreigners Tribunal (FT) were ordered to leave Assam within 24 hours. The order reads, “ These 15 people had been confirmed to be foreigners by the concerned FT courts under Nagaon district vide opinion in 2005 onwards in several FT cases .” It further states that, as declared foreign nationals (DFNs), their presence in India/ state of Assam is detrimental to the interests of the general public and to the internal security of the state/country.

In the exercise of power conferred under section 2 of the Immigration of ( Expulsion from Assam) Act 1950, the District Commissioner directs all 15 Bangladeshi nationals to remove themselves from the territory of the state of Assam/India within 24 hours of receiving the order via Dhubri, Sri Bhumi or South Salmara-Mankachar route. The order further provides that, in the event of any default in complying with the order, the Government of Assam shall be compelled to take appropriate legal action to remove the foreign nationals from the territory of Assam/India. Even though these people were declared as foreigners, they have evaded the law and never been caught by the police for deportation. During the Congress regime until 2016, hundreds of declared foreigners evaded the law and remained in Assam at will, and were even entitled to government welfare schemes.

The declared foreigners have been identified as Johura Khatun, Abdul Aziz, Aheja Khatun, Azufa Khatun, Hussain Ali, Fazila Khatun, Anuwara Begam, Asha Khatun, Nazrul Islam, Rahim Sheikh, Buker Ali, Idris Ali, and Rustam Ali, all of whom belong to different parts of Nagaon district. Of late, the BJP government in Assam has decided to reinforce the decade-old Immigration of ( Expulsion from Assam) Act 1950 and started removing declared foreigners to Bangladesh. Under the law, the District Police Superintendent must identify declared foreigners or any other suspected nationals and report them to the District Commissioner. The DC will grant the suspected national 10 days to prove his nationality. If he/she fails to do so, the District Commissioner can order his/her expulsion within 24 hours from Indian territory.

Credit : Organiser Weekly