Hundreds of Indian citizens in Assam are reportedly being detained and forcefully pushed across the border into Bangladesh without legal procedure, according to a damning new report by Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJEP), a Mumbai-based civil rights organization led by activist Teesta Setalvad.
The report highlights a surge in police crackdowns across all 33 districts of Assam starting May 23, where nearly 300 individuals—primarily from poor, working-class backgrounds—were detained without formal charges or legal notifications.
Among them, at least 145 people were allegedly pushed across the international border into "no man’s land" without any formal deportation orders or bilateral agreements.
CJEP interviewed six affected women—Hajera Khatun, Sona Banu, Rahima Begum, Jahanara Begum, Asifa Begum, and Saheera Khatun—many of whom described inhumane treatment during their detention and deportation.
Hajera Khatun, a 60-year-old diabetic woman from Barpeta district, was detained despite being on bail with an active case in the Gauhati High Court. She and others were transported to the Matia detention center, then given Bangladeshi currency and left near the border during heavy rain, without food or shelter.
“We were terrified. Even after being released at the border, we were forced to stand all night in the rain, with no idea what would happen to us,” Hajera told CJEP representatives.
Boarder Guard Bangladesh (BGB) guards reportedly intercepted the group and questioned their unauthorized entry.
Negotiations between Indian and Bangladeshi forces followed, and several of the deportees, including Hajera, eventually returned to India on foot, unsupported by either government.
Local journalists and activists warn that fear has gripped Assam’s Bengali Muslim population, with many fearing sudden detention and forced deportation.
With state elections approaching next year, political motives behind these operations are being questioned. Several regional leaders have raised concerns, but the deportations reportedly continue.
