GUWAHATI: The Assam government disclosed that over 85,024 declared foreign nationals have been missing since 2016. The state home department made this statement on Monday during the fifth day of the budget session in the Assam Legislative Assembly.
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Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who also oversees the home department, provided these figures in response to an unstarred question from Congress MLA Rekibuddin Ahmed.
During this period, authorities detained 657 Bangladeshis, 223 Myanmar nationals, 11 Nigerians, 2 Ukrainians, and individuals from Pakistan, Uganda, Kenya, and Senegal. However, only a fraction of them—259 Bangladeshis, 30 Myanmarese, 1 Pakistani, 1 Ugandan, 11 Nigerians, 1 Ukrainian, and 1 Kenyan—have been deported so far.
Currently, 258 foreign nationals are held at the Matia detention camp in Goalpara, with the government spending ₹60 lakh on their upkeep. They are expected to be deported once their respective High Commissions issue transit passes.
In response to another inquiry, the government stated that no compensation had been granted to the family of lawyer Mridul Islam, who died during a Congress-led protest outside Raj Bhavan on December 18, 2024. An inquiry by the deputy commissioner of police (DCP) of Central Guwahati Police District (CGPD) concluded that Islam’s death was not caused by police action.
Assam, which shares a 291.959 km border with Bangladesh across four districts—including 170.3004 km of land border and 121.659 km of riverine border—has fenced 225.775 km, leaving 66.184 km unfenced.
The government reported that 1,65,692 foreign nationals have been identified under the Assam Accord. Key figures include 2,44,144 D-voter cases sent to Foreigners Tribunals (FTs), leading to 42,989 being declared foreign nationals. Additionally, 4,36,046 cases were forwarded by the Border Police to FTs, resulting in 1,65,992 declared foreigners.
Under the Assam Accord, 39,115 foreign nationals were deported, and 59 declared foreigners remain in transit camps.
Between 2016 and February 23, 2025, Assam recorded 136 deaths and 189 injuries due to police actions. A total of 285 police operations against criminals were conducted during this period, according to official documents presented in response to MLA Rekibuddin Ahmed’s question.
With the staggering number of missing foreign nationals and ongoing concerns about border security, deportation, and police actions, the Assam government continues to face pressing questions on these critical issues.
