Bangladesh leader raises concerns over Assam forest eviction drive, State minister counters

Assam Forest Minister Jayanta Mallabaruah on Monday (October 26, 2026) said Bangladesh Opposition leader Shafiqur Rahman’s concerns over an eviction drive at a reserve forest in central Assam were misplaced.

The eviction of 563 families from 314 hectares of land in Nagaon district’s Lutumari-Longjap Reserve Forest on October 17 and 18 were based on Supreme Court directives, he said.

Mr Mallabaruah said the Bangladeshi leader presented a misleading picture of the facts and administrative action, asserting that the eviction drive was a legal and ecological necessity.

Citing Supreme Court directions, including an order dated February 10, he said the court prescribed procedures for eviction from notified forest areas in Assam.

Mr Mallabaruah said the Lutumari-Longjap operation was not an arbitrary administrative exercise and notices were served to the squatters on notified forest land well in advance.

“We deliberately waited for the rainy and flood season to end, recognising the difficulties that displacement can cause to families. The occupants were given time to vacate their homes and remove their belongings. The operation was conducted peacefully, without reported resistance or use of force,” he said.

The Minister rejected allegations that the drive targeted any religious or social community, asserting that it was conducted to reclaim notified forest land rather than target people based on their identity.

He also said Forest personnel would plant indigenous forest species on the reclaimed land to regenerate wildlife habitats, particularly those of elephants, while contributing to efforts to reduce human-elephant conflict.

Mr. Rahman, the chief of the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, said in a social media post on October 24 that the eviction of Muslim families and the demolition of mosques in Assam were deeply concerning.

He said the Assam government demolished the homes of more than 600 Muslim families on October 18 after carrying out a similar exercise the previous day to evict 547 families. “More than 1,100 families were subjected to eviction within just two days. Locals also reported that 10 more mosques were demolished during these eviction drives, some of which were over 50 years old,” the Bangladesh MP had said.

He recalled a Gujarat High Court decision to remove a portion of the 400-year-old Mancha Mosque in Ahmedabad paved the way for its demolition. He also cited the demolition of several ancient mosques and graveyards in Gujarat’s Gir Somnath district in September 2024.

“We are deeply concerned about these incidents. The Indian government is not only failing to protect the rights of Muslim minorities but is also undermining their rights in various ways. Such incidents run counter to humanity, the rule of law, and the values of a civilised society. Regardless of where such actions take place or who is responsible for them, these ill activities must be condemned,” Mr Ahmed said.

“We call upon all the people of Bangladesh not to allow anyone to exploit provocations to create religious divisions and social unrest within the country. We must not fall into anyone’s trap,” he added.