Himanta Biswa Sarma: Some of Assam's districts resemble 'Small Bangladesh'

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has raised alarm over the demographic and communal shifts in the state, drawing a comparison with Bangladesh. Speaking at the Tangra Satra , Sarma highlighted a troubling trend in Assam’s districts that, according to him, mirrors the situation faced by Hindus in Bangladesh.

Sarma pointed out that while Hindus once constituted 35 percent of the population in Bangladesh, their numbers have dwindled to just 8 percent due to systemic persecution and the demolition of religious sites. Drawing a parallel, he noted that Assam’s Dhubri district has a Hindu population of 12 percent, Barpeta 30 percent and Morigaon 35 percent.

"The situation is alarming," Sarma said. "What we see in these districts is akin to creating 'small Bangladesh' within Assam. This is not just about fear; if that fear subsides, we risk a scenario similar to Bangladesh across the rest of Assam, barring the upper Assam districts."