The Assam government has denied consular access to the Bangladeshi mission for the past 20 months, an interval officials say is the longest on record, even as a sustained crackdown on suspected Bangladeshi nationals continues across the state. The move, announced in Guwahati on June 22, comes amid heightened concerns in Assam over cross-border migration, security risks and pressure on local resources, according to state officials.
Officials in Assam’s Home and Political department said that the state has long borne the brunt of illegal migration and associated strains, and that these factors necessitated the “policy decision.” “As things stand today, there is no possibility of reciprocating the plea for consular access in the near future,” a source told The Assam Tribune.
Enforcement activity has continued during the suspension of access. Just last week, 14 suspected Bangladeshi nationals were arrested in Guwahati; the most recent raid led to the detention of 13 men, women and children in Arya Nagar on Friday. The Office of the Assistant Commissioner of Bangladesh at Guwahati has said it does not have a clear count of suspected Bangladeshi nationals currently lodged in Assam’s jails.
An official source explained the importance of consular access, saying it “allows representatives of foreign missions to meet their nationals detained in another country, ensuring their rights are protected and legal processes are followed to repatriate them.” While such visits are routine elsewhere in India, the prolonged denial in Assam stands out, particularly given the state’s stated policy to push back illegal immigrants.
All other Northeastern states under the Assistant Commissioner’s jurisdiction — except Tripura, which falls under the consulate in Agartala — continue to allow regular jail visits. “There has never been such a long gap in consular access between India and Bangladesh in recent decades,” an official familiar with the matter said, noting that access was generally maintained even during times of political strain as a confidence-building measure.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has said those declared foreigners by Foreigners Tribunals would be expelled to Bangladesh within a week, adding that nearly 300 people have already been pushed back under the Immigrants (Expulsion from Assam) Act, 1950, and that the state would expedite the process further. The extended suspension of consular visits raises questions about detainees’ access to legal and diplomatic safeguards and could complicate repatriation procedures going forward.
Original Source: https://assamtribune.com/assam/assam-denies-bangladesh-consular-access-for-20-months-amid-crackdown-1613352
Category: Assam,Featured
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Publish Date: 2026-06-22 08:54:00
