Only Indian passport holders to be allowed to enter Assam from Bangladesh: DGP

Tinsukia (Assam) [India], August 9 (ANI): Amid the turmoil in Bangladesh, Assam Director General of Police (DGP) GP Singh said that only Indian passport holders will be allowed to enter the state from trouble-torn country through the designated entry points.

“From our side, the direction is very clear that we will not allow anyone to enter the state. Many students from Assam and other parts of the country are studying in Bangladesh. Last month 78 students including 60 students from Assam returned from Bangladesh. We will only allow Indian Passport holders to enter Assam while we will not allow others to enter the state,” he said.

“We have been regularly monitoring the situation for the last three days. When the development arose there (Bangladesh) we immediately held a video conference with all SPs, we also held a video conferencing meeting with senior BSF officials and the Union Home Secretary was also in that video conference. In Assam, our four districts – Cachar, Karimganj, Dhubri, and South Salmara, have shared their border with Bangladesh. Along with BSF, Assam police is also ready as the second line of defence. Assam police and BSF have conducted joint patrolling in many places,” DGP Singh said on Thursday in Tinsukia.

He further said that if anyone tries to sneak then we will take action as per law. “Our border is now in a strong position,” he said.

The Assam DGP on Thursday held a security review meeting in Tinsukia district ahead of the Independence Day on August 15.

“As per our information, a group of ULFA-I is now in the area along the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border. We discussed how to neutralize this group and asked all concerned to remain alert so that the group couldn’t enter Assam to carry out any subversive activities in the state. Police, CAPF, Army, and all intelligence agencies have been briefed. Assam is now in a peaceful way. I appeal to the ULFA-I not to destroy the peaceful environment. If someone has grievances, then they may talk with the government. We are on alert,” GP Singh said.

Earlier, Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma said, “The government of India has instructed the state government to secure the Indo-Bangladesh border completely so that no one can come inside the country. Accordingly, the Assam government is maintaining strict vigil in the border area and as of now, no one has entered our country except those who have valid passports and visas and genuine and bonafide citizens of this country. However, I do hope that the government of India will do everything possible and I am sure that the PM is already doing it to ensure the safety and security of the Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist, and Christian people in Bangladesh.”

Bangladesh is facing a fluid political situation, with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina tendering her resignation from her post on August 5 in the wake of mounting protests. The protests, led mainly by students demanding an end to the quota system for government jobs, evolved into anti-government demonstrations.

A day after Sheikh Hasina resigned as Prime Minister of Bangladesh and left the country, President Mohammed Shahabuddin announced the dissolution of the country’s parliament to make way for the formation of an interim administration, Dhaka Tribune reported.

Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has been appointed as the head of Bangladesh’s interim government, Dhaka Tribune reported. The Bangladesh President’s Press Secretary, Joynal Abedin, made the announcement.

The decision regarding the appointment of Bangladesh’s interim government head was made during a meeting between President Shahabuddin and the coordinators of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement.