More than 50 bulldozers were deployed to demolish settlements across 650 bighas of land in Dhubri's Alomganj, where nearly 550 families had been living.
More than 50 bulldozers were deployed to demolish settlements across 650 bighas of land in Dhubri's Alomganj, where nearly 550 families had been living.Maktoob Media
World

‘More to come’: Assam CM doubles down on eviction drive after 550 households face eviction in Muslim-majority village

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Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has vowed to continue the state government's anti-encroachment drive in Dhubri district until all illegally occupied government land is reclaimed, following international media coverage of the recent eviction operation.

“Responding to an Al Jazeera report on the land reclamation drive carried out on 1 November, Sarma wrote on X on Tuesday, ‘More to come. We will not stop till every inch of our land is reclaimed.’”

The report highlighted the displacement of thousands of Bengali-speaking Muslim families during the eviction operation, describing it as part of a government campaign targeting Muslim communities.

The eviction drive was conducted in Alamganj Part-IX under the Gauripur revenue circle in Dhubri district, where authorities sought to reclaim approximately 650 bighas (nearly 215 acres) of government khas land allegedly occupied illegally by around 550 households.

The operation began at around 7:30am on 1 November and focused on a large contiguous stretch of government land identified as encroached upon by authorities.

Dhubri district authorities said the land had been illegally occupied. However, Al Jazeera's report focused on the affected residents' identities as Bengali-speaking Muslims and raised concerns over the impact of the eviction drive on the community.

The operation has drawn attention to the Assam government's ongoing anti-encroachment campaign under Sarma, which has involved the recovery of government land across the state.

Assam eviction drive