Assam CM links collapse of Bangladesh textile industries to rising illegal infiltration

He however clarified that there was hardly any influx of Hindu even after all kind onslaught against them in Bangladesh. Pointing out that over one thousand infiltrators have been pushed back Mr Sarma told reporters that the government had not detected any Hindu infiltrator in the last five months.

On the low number of Bangladeshi Hindus entering India, he said, "I think the numbers are very less and whoever wanted to come would have come 40 years ago but stayed due to affinity towards their land. I think we should not encourage them to come to India."

Proposing action against textile industries encouraging workers from Bangladesh to infiltrate, Mr Sarma said, “It has come to notice that some owners of textile industries are incentivising the migration of workers from Bangladesh textile industries which is going through a bad phase since the political unrest in the country.”

Mr Sarma said that he has taken up the matter with the ministry of home affairs and governments of all the frontier states including West Bengal and Tripura.

Mr Sarma said, “The economic collapse in Bangladesh, added with shutting down of its textile sector, led to a significant rise in illegal infiltration into Indian territory. Recently, the Tripura chief minister reported that the state has detained nearly 1,500 Bangladesh nationals. The Border Security Force (BSF) is doing its part, and here in Assam, we’re seeing similar patterns. On an average, we are apprehending 20-25 infiltrators daily. However, the real concern lies in the number of individuals who manage to slip through undetected.”

The chief minister also emphasised the need for heightened border vigilance, revealing that union home minister Amit Shah has urged all border state leaders to strengthen security measures. “During the NEC meeting, the Home Minister advised us to remain alert along the borders. We have taken his advice seriously and are working to tighten our security network,” he stated.

Mr Sarma stated that the government is witnessing results against Jihadi threat along the border areas as a result of collaboration with the National Investigation Agency and the Intelligence Bureau. “We arrested 23 people and seized various weapons”, the chief minister reiterated, further assuring that the Assam police is aware of the threat posed by such elements across the border. “We are conducting operations in coordination with the NIA and the IB. We have even arrested people from Bengal and Kerala,” he said.

Earlier, kicking off the new year with optimism and vision, Mr Sarma said, “Assam’s GSDP rose to ₹6.43 lakh crore in 2024, with an ambitious target of ₹7.12 lakh crore for 2025. We are well on track to making Assam a million-dollar economy.”

He also outlined a series of transformative initiatives and celebrated the state’s achievements in 2024. Highlighting development, governance, and welfare, he said, “Our vision is to make Assam a beacon of progress, where every citizen benefits from inclusive growth and modern infrastructure.”

The chief minister launched a zero-cost insurance scheme for government employees in collaboration with SBI and UBI. Under this scheme, families of state employees can claim Rs10 lakh for natural deaths and up to Rs1 crore for accidental deaths. “This initiative ensures that our employees and their families feel financially secure, no matter what happens,” he remarked.

He also introduced Swagata Swatirtha, an online portal to streamline transfer processes for third and fourth-grade employees. The portal will allow employees to select up to five district preferences, eliminating the need for manual interventions. “We want to end the days when employees had to knock on doors for transfers,” Sarma said, emphasising on transparency of the automated system.

Another major highlight was a women empowerment scheme, aimed at supporting 30 lakh women with tiered financial aid. Women will receive ₹10,000 in the first year, ₹25,000 in the second (half funded by banks), and ₹50,000 in the third. “This initiative will economically empower women and pave the way for self-sufficiency,” Mr Sarma said.