More than 36,000 people have been declared foreigners by Foreigners Tribunals (FTs) in Assam since 2021, but only 196 have been repatriated to Bangladesh during the same period, Border Protection and Development Minister Atul Bora informed the Assam Assembly. Replying in writing to a question raised by Congress MLA Mohibur Rohman on Tuesday, Bora said that 36,358 people were declared foreigners by Foreigners Tribunals between 2021 and May 2026. Of these, only 196 have been repatriated to Bangladesh. According to the minister, 7,151 people were declared foreigners in 2021, followed by 9,028 in 2022, the highest during the period. The number stood at 6,859 in 2023, 6,178 in 2024, 5,106 in 2025 and 2,036 up to May this year.
Bora told the House that under the existing legal framework in Assam, only the Foreigners Tribunals are empowered to determine whether a person is a foreigner. Individuals aggrieved by the tribunal’s decision have the right to challenge the order before higher courts. The minister’s reply came in the context of the Assam Accord, which provides for the detection of foreigners who entered the state on or after March 25, 1971, their deletion from electoral rolls and subsequent steps for their deportation in accordance with the law. The issue also led to a heated exchange in the Assembly after Raijor Dal MLA Akhil Gogoi sought the exact number of illegal foreigners currently residing in Assam.
Responding to the query, Bora said the government did not have the required data available for presentation in the House. Dissatisfied with the reply, Gogoi questioned how the Assembly could rely on the government’s statements in the absence of such information.
