Assam: 74 Bangladeshi Nationals Arrested in Three Days, 36 Held in Dhubri

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The spike in the arrest of Bangladeshis of late from various places in Assam, particularly those bordering Bangladesh, for illegally entering the country has once again exposed the existence of a network actively aiding their entry, besides the fact that illegal infiltration into the state from the neighbouring country continues despite heightened vigil along the international border.

The arrest of 36 more Bangladeshis from Dhubri on Friday has also brought into sharp focus the continued use of the border districts, particularly Dhubri's riverine routes, as transit corridors for unauthorised cross-border movement. 

The Friday's arrest has taken the number of such arrests in the past three days to 74. Earlier, 38 foreign nationals were arrested in Karimganj district for sneaking in illegally.

According to sources, the network charges Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000 per individual for helping them cross the international border into Assam.

Preliminary investigation into the Friday's arrest has reportedly revealed that the group had travelled by a boat on the Brahmaputra from Hatsingimari towards Dhubri. They allegedly intended to use Dhubri as a transit point before travelling to Chennai.

According to their statements, they paid between Rs 15,000 and Rs 20,000 each to middlemen to facilitate their journey, adding that the group had allegedly crossed into India with the assistance of a person identified as Milan.

Dhubri Police arrested the 36 Bangladeshi nationals at Jogamaya Ghat in Dhubri, thwarting their bid to enter India illegally and use the district as a transit point for onward travel to Chennai.

Sharing details, Dhubri senior superintendent of police (SSP) Debashish Bora said following intelligence inputs over the past several days about a group of Bangladeshi nationals attempting to enter the district, surveillance was intensified at river ghats, with the Brahmaputra route identified as a likely entry point.

And acting on specific information received at around 2.30 am, the 36 infiltrators were nabbed from Jogamaya Ghat of Dhubri town on Friday. 

Following verification, the SSP claimed that all the 36 were identified as Bangladeshi nationals from Chapainawabganj district in Bangladesh's Rajshahi division.

Police recovered documents and other belongings from the arrested persons. The group comprised men aged between 30 and 40 years, according to the SSP.

Pointing out that the questioning and verification process could take some time, he said further action would be taken in accordance with the law after the investigation establishes the circumstances of the group's entry and the alleged involvement of middlemen.

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