Highlights
- Assam CM warns Assam may merge with Bangladesh if Bangladeshi-origin population rises 10%.
- 40% of Assam’s population is Bangladeshi-origin; CM has been raising concerns for five years.
- Bangladeshi leader suggested isolating India’s northeast and aiding separatists.
- CM says India won’t tolerate such threats.
- Calls to merge Assam with Bangladesh are completely wrong.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has expressed concern over the state’s future, citing the growing number of people of Bangladeshi origin in India’s northeastern state of Assam. He claimed that if this demographic trend continues, Assam could one day automatically become part of Bangladesh. His remarks have once again sparked debate over borders and immigration.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma claimed that,
“রাজ্যটিতে বাংলাদেশি বংশোদ্ভূত মানুষের সংখ্যা যদি আর ১০ শতাংশ বাড়ে, তাহলে আসাম ‘স্বয়ংক্রিয়ভাবে বাংলাদেশে অন্তর্ভুক্ত হয়ে যাবে।”
Translation : “If the number of people of Bangladeshi origin in the state increases by another 10 percent, Assam will “automatically be incorporated into Bangladesh.”
Speaking to journalists after a government programme on Tuesday, he said he has been warning about this issue for the past five years.
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When asked about a comment by a Bangladeshi leader regarding linking northeastern India with Bangladesh, Himanta Biswa Sarma said,
“আসামে বর্তমানে জনসংখ্যার ৪০ শতাংশই বাংলাদেশি বংশোদ্ভূত। যদি এই সংখ্যা আরও ১০ শতাংশ বাড়ে, তাহলে আমরা স্বয়ংক্রিয়ভাবে (বাংলাদেশের সঙ্গে) অন্তর্ভুক্ত হয়ে যাব ।”
Translation : “At present, 40 percent of Assam’s population is of Bangladeshi origin. If this figure increases by another 10 percent, then we will automatically be incorporated (with Bangladesh).”
He further said,
“এই কারণেই আমি গত পাঁচ বছর ধরে বিষয়টি নিয়ে জোরালোভাবে কথা বলে যাচ্ছি।”
Translation : “That is why I have been speaking forcefully about this issue for the past five years.”
According to NDTV, reports appeared in various Indian media earlier this month regarding a comment made by Hasnat Abdullah, a leader of Bangladesh’s National Citizen Party (NCP). In the comment, he said,
“নয়াদিল্লি যদি বাংলাদেশকে অস্থিতিশীল করার চেষ্টা করে, তাহলে ঢাকার উচিত ভারতের উত্তর-পূর্বাঞ্চলকে ‘বিচ্ছিন্ন’ করে রাখা এবং ওই অঞ্চলের বিচ্ছিন্নতাবাদী শক্তিগুলোকে সহায়তা দেয়া।”
Translation : “If New Delhi attempts to destabilise Bangladesh, Dhaka should keep India’s northeastern region ‘isolated’ and provide support to separatist forces in that area.”
Hasnat Abdullah claimed that India’s northeastern region is geographically ‘vulnerable’ because it depends on the narrow Siliguri Corridor which is also known as the ‘Chicken’s Neck’ for connectivity with the Indian mainland.
Reacting strongly to the recent remarks about separating India’s northeastern states from the mainland, Chief Minister Himanta Sharma had issued a sharp response. He said,
“এ ধরনের হুমকি ভারত সহ্য করবে না।”
Translation : “India would not tolerate such threats.”
He claimed that if Bangladeshi leaders continue to threaten the separation of the northeastern region from India’s mainland, Delhi will not remain silent for long.
Himanta Biswa Sarma said at the time,
“বাংলাদেশ থেকে বারবার বলা হচ্ছে, উত্তর-পূর্বাঞ্চলকে আলাদা করে সেই দেশের সঙ্গে যুক্ত করা উচিত। বাংলাদেশ এমনটা কল্পনাও করতে পারে না— এটা সম্পূর্ণ ভুল।”
Translation : “There are repeated statements from Bangladesh saying that the northeastern region should be separated and merged with that country. Bangladesh cannot even imagine such a thing it is completely wrong.”
Referring to India as a large country, a nuclear-armed state, and the world’s fourth-largest economy, the Assam Chief Minister said,
“বাংলাদেশের মানুষের মধ্যে ভুল মানসিকতা তৈরি হয়েছে।”
Translation : “A misguided mindset has developed among people in Bangladesh.”
He remarked,
“আমাদের স্পষ্ট করে জানিয়ে দেয়া দরকার যে ভারতের বিরুদ্ধে এমন আচরণ হলে আমরা চুপ করে থাকব না।”
Translation : “We need to make it clear that if such behaviour is directed against India, we will not remain silent.”
source : channel 24
