Representative image NEW DELHI: Calling the incomplete fencing of the India-Bangladesh border a “historical mistake”, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday said the implementation of the border management provisions of the 1985 Assam Accord has effectively begun only in 2025.Speaking to reporters, Sarma said efforts to curb illegal movement from Bangladesh were delayed because border fencing was initially focused only on Assam and not extended simultaneously to other border states.”The actual implementation of the provisions of the 1985 Assam Accord has started from 2025. We were not able to stop the Bangladeshi movement earlier,” he said.Sarma noted that Assam shares a 1,600-km border with Bangladesh and said that after the Assam Accord was signed, fencing work was undertaken only along the Assam-Bangladesh border.”Assam shares a 1,600-km border with Bangladesh. After signing the Assam Accord, we said that border fencing should be done along the Assam-Bangladesh border, and accordingly, the work was undertaken,” he said.”But we did not think that fencing should be done in Meghalaya, Tripura and West Bengal as well. Our demand should have been for the entire 1,600 km border to be fenced,” he added.The chief minister said large stretches of the border in neighbouring states had remained open for years, facilitating cross-border movement.According to Sarma, nearly 90 per cent of the fencing work in Meghalaya has now been completed, while around 60 per cent has been completed in Tripura. Work is also progressing in Mizoram, he said.He further pointed out that fencing has now been taken up in West Bengal, where nearly 800 km of the India-Bangladesh border had remained unfenced.Questioning the logic of securing only select stretches of the international border, Sarma said, “If Siliguri is open and Mankachar is closed, then what is the meaning? These were historical mistakes.””The Union Government has formed a committee on demographic changes. I think the government is going to undertake more effective measures in bordering areas concerning demographic changes. Our suggestion will be to conduct scrutiny of the citizenship status of every family residing in the bordering areas,” he added.Get the latest India news and live updates. Download the TOI App.About the AuthorTOI News DeskThe TOI News Desk comprises a dedicated and tireless team of journalists who operate around the clock to deliver the most current and comprehensive news and updates to the readers of The Times of India worldwide. With an unwavering commitment to excellence in journalism, our team is at the forefront of gathering, verifying, and presenting breaking news, in-depth analysis, and insightful reports on a wide range of topics. The TOI News Desk is your trusted source for staying informed and connected to the ever-evolving global landscape, ensuring that our readers are equipped with the latest developments that matter most.”Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosRahul Gandhi Slams US And Modi Over Death Of Three Indian Sailors In Gulf Of Oman StrikeRam Temple Donation Controversy Escalates: UP Government Forms SIT As Probe Widens In AyodhyaMahua Moitra Targets Sudip Bandyopadhyay Over Meeting With BJP Minister Amid Growing TMC RebellionIAF An-32 Crashes During Landing In Assam’s Jorhat, Co-Pilot Survives, Five Personnel KilledUP Government Constitutes SIT To Investigate Alleged Irregularities In Ram Temple DonationsModi-Trump Meeting At G7 Comes Amid India-US Tensions Over Sailors’ Deaths And Iran ConflictIndia’s Russian Oil Imports Rise 6.6% In May; Russia Remains India’s Second-Largest Crude SupplierStone-Pelting Rocks Patliputra Station As Students Demand More TrainsDRDO’s Three Successful Missile Tests Put India Among Nations Capable Of Countering ICBM ThreatsCong Leaders Demand Accountability, Apology From US After Three Indian Sailors Killed In Strike123PhotostoriesInside Aditi Bhatia’s dreamy Mumbai home: Stunning balconies, a fancy vanity room and a walk-in closet“Not IQ or luck”: A child who learns to control these 4 things is more likely to succeed in life, says parenting expertCan this simple rice-cooking trick reduce arsenic? What a doctor wants you to knowKareena Kapoor Khan proves pink never retires in a traditional Banarasi suit and suddenly nothing else matteredWorld’s longest snakes and where travellers can spot themFrom music to handicrafts: 5 Indian markets that come to life at night, and what travellers need to know10 most common questions women Google during pregnancySuccess quote of the day by football GOAT Cristiano Ronaldo: “Your love makes me strong, your hate makes me…”7 traditional Indian foods that have been used to make alcohol for centuriesWhat happens when you eat 1 banana daily for 45 days123Hot PicksAkhilesh’s daughterUS Trade DealNEET Admit CardJoSAA CounsellingKerala HSCAP 1st allotment resultPatliputra station protestCJP Bengaluru ProtestTelangana SIRDelhi restaurant fireTop TrendingKerala HSCAP first allotment result 2026UPSC Prelims ResultNEET Admit Card 2026FIFA World Cup 2026Women T20 World CupPune Techie SuicideAbhishek BanerjeeComedian PranitTMC Leader Kunal GhoshCBSE Class 10 Second Board Result
NEW DELHI: Calling the incomplete fencing of the India-Bangladesh border a “historical mistake”, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday said the implementation of the border management provisions of the 1985 Assam Accord has effectively begun only in 2025.Speaking to reporters, Sarma said efforts to curb illegal movement from Bangladesh were delayed because border fencing was initially focused only on Assam and not extended simultaneously to other border states.“The actual implementation of the provisions of the 1985 Assam Accord has started from 2025. We were not able to stop the Bangladeshi movement earlier,” he said.Sarma noted that Assam shares a 1,600-km border with Bangladesh and said that after the Assam Accord was signed, fencing work was undertaken only along the Assam-Bangladesh border.“Assam shares a 1,600-km border with Bangladesh. After signing the Assam Accord, we said that border fencing should be done along the Assam-Bangladesh border, and accordingly, the work was undertaken,” he said.“But we did not think that fencing should be done in Meghalaya, Tripura and West Bengal as well. Our demand should have been for the entire 1,600 km border to be fenced,” he added.The chief minister said large stretches of the border in neighbouring states had remained open for years, facilitating cross-border movement.According to Sarma, nearly 90 per cent of the fencing work in Meghalaya has now been completed, while around 60 per cent has been completed in Tripura. Work is also progressing in Mizoram, he said.He further pointed out that fencing has now been taken up in West Bengal, where nearly 800 km of the India-Bangladesh border had remained unfenced.Questioning the logic of securing only select stretches of the international border, Sarma said, “If Siliguri is open and Mankachar is closed, then what is the meaning? These were historical mistakes.”“The Union Government has formed a committee on demographic changes. I think the government is going to undertake more effective measures in bordering areas concerning demographic changes. Our suggestion will be to conduct scrutiny of the citizenship status of every family residing in the bordering areas,” he added.
