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Assam evicts Bengali Muslim families in Dhubri land drive

Assam evicts Bengali Muslim families in Dhubri land drive

Force in Play

More than 4,000 displaced as Assam clears 650 bighas, with a court hearing and Delhi protest ahead

4 days ago: Congress delegation seeks relief for evicted families

Overview

Updated 2 days ago

Assam's chief minister says the bulldozers will keep coming. On 3 November, Himanta Biswa Sarma replied to a video of the Dhubri demolitions with a post on X: "More to come. We will not stop till every inch of our land is reclaimed." The 1 November drive in Alamganj Part-IX flattened homes and mosques on 650 bighas of land the state calls government property.

More than 4,000 people, mostly Bengali-speaking Muslims, are without homes. Community groups have called a protest in New Delhi on 14 November to demand rehabilitation. The Gauhati High Court hears petitions from displaced residents on 13 November, the day before that march, and it has already shielded the remaining 150 bighas from clearing.

Why it matters

Assam is testing how far a state can use land law to displace a minority group while courts weigh demolition safeguards.

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Key Indicators

4,000+
People displaced in Dhubri
Residents left without homes after the Alamganj Part-IX eviction.
640
Families whose homes were demolished
Scroll reported 640 Bengali Muslim families affected; other outlets gave higher estimates.
650 bighas
Land cleared in Dhubri
About 215 acres of government-owned land in Alamganj Part-IX.
20,387
Families evicted in Assam, 2021-2026
Documented eviction operations demolished more than 22,000 structures.
14 Nov
Planned Delhi protest
Community organisations have called a demonstration in the capital to demand rehabilitation and land allocation.

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People Involved

Himanta Biswa Sarma
Himanta Biswa Sarma
Chief Minister of Assam
Says eviction drives will continue until "every inch of our land is reclaimed"
DN
Dibakar Nath
Dhubri District Commissioner
Oversaw the Alamganj eviction; received a Congress memorandum seeking relief on 7 November
AF
Ali Chand Fakir
Resident of Alamganj Part-IX
Displaced; living with relatives or in makeshift shelters

Organizations Involved

Assam government
Assam government
State government
Continuing eviction drives; chief minister vows more clearance

The BJP-led state government says it is clearing illegal encroachments on public land.
DH
Dhubri district administration
Local government
Executed the Alamganj drive; under pressure from Congress and protest organisers

The district body served notices and deployed bulldozers in Alamganj Part-IX.
Supreme Court of India
Supreme Court of India
Highest court of appeal
Issued demolition safeguards and contempt notices

India's top court set rules for demolitions in November 2024.

Timeline

May 2021 November 2026

8 events Latest: 4 days ago
Tap a bar to jump to that date

  1. Congress delegation seeks relief for evicted families

    Latest Politics

    A four-member Congress delegation led by opposition leader Wajed Ali Chaudhary met Dhubri's district commissioner and submitted a memorandum seeking relief and rehabilitation, and protection of local graveyards.

  2. Groups call New Delhi protest for 14 November

    Protest

    Local community organisations announced a demonstration in the capital demanding formal land allocation and rehabilitation for displaced Dhubri residents.

  3. Sarma vows more evictions after Dhubri drive

    Statement

    Responding to an Al Jazeera video of the demolitions, the chief minister posted on X that the state would not stop until "every inch of our land is reclaimed."

  4. Dhubri eviction leaves more than 4,000 homeless

    Eviction

    Authorities clear 650 bighas in Alamganj Part-IX; 640 to 750 families displaced.

  5. Assam evicts 1,400 families for Adani power project

    Eviction

    Nearly 10,000 people displaced in Chapar revenue circle; land allotted to Adani Power.

  6. Contempt notice issued against Assam government

    Legal

    Top court issues second contempt notice over evictions in Muslim-majority areas.

  7. Supreme Court sets demolition safeguards

    Legal

    Court requires 15-day notices, videography, written reasons and right to be heard.

  8. Assam begins documented wave of eviction drives

    Policy

    At least 33 operations between May 2021 and 2026 demolish 22,000 structures.

Scenarios

1

Assam expands evictions despite court safeguards

Likely Resolves by Q2 2027

Discussed by: Scroll and The New Humanitarian

The state has continued drives after Supreme Court directives and contempt notices. If it keeps clearing land for projects, more Bengali-speaking Muslim families will be displaced without rehabilitation.

2

Supreme Court halts a scheduled Assam eviction

Possible Resolves by Q1 2027

Discussed by: The New Humanitarian and Siasat

The court has already issued contempt notices. A fresh petition from Dhubri residents could lead to an order stopping the next drive.

3

Dhubri evictees receive alternative land

Unlikely Resolves by End of 2027

Discussed by: Scroll

The district administration has offered resettlement land in the past, but residents said it was low-lying riverbank. If authorities allocate usable land to most families, the displacement becomes less permanent.

4

Delhi protest goes ahead and widens the movement

Likely Resolves by Nov 15, 2026

Discussed by: Local community organisations and activist groups quoted by The Sentinel

Organisers said the 14 November demonstration will press for land allocation and resettlement. They warned it could become a launchpad for a larger campaign in Assam if the state does not respond.

Historical Context

3 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

1947

Partition of Bengal (1947)

The partition of Bengal split the region along religious lines and set off decades of migration. Many Bengali-speaking Muslims settled in Assam, often on flood-prone char lands.

Then

New borders and citizenship rules left many families with uncertain paperwork.

Now

The migration shaped Assam's land and citizenship politics for generations.

Why this matters now

The Dhubri evictees trace their presence to this period and later Brahmaputra erosion.

1982

Myanmar's Rohingya citizenship law (1982)

Myanmar's citizenship law excluded Rohingya from full citizenship, labeling them illegal immigrants. The designation preceded mass displacement and statelessness.

Then

Rohingya lost legal status and faced restrictions on movement and services.

Now

The law became a template for excluding a Muslim minority by calling it foreign.

Why this matters now

The New Humanitarian draws a direct comparison to Assam's 'illegal encroacher' label.

November 2024

Supreme Court demolition safeguards (2024)

India's Supreme Court issued directives after a series of arbitrary demolitions. It required 15-day notices, videography, written reasons and a right to be heard.

Then

The court said the executive cannot become the judge.

Now

Assam faced contempt notices but continued evictions.

Why this matters now

The Dhubri drive tests whether those safeguards have teeth.

Sources

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Al Jazeera Scroll NDTV India Today KMS News The New Humanitarian Barlekha Today Prothom Alo Siasat The Sentinel Daily8 Borok Times Janata Serishta IPB News Scroll Siasat