Bangladesh Opposition Chief Raises Alarm Over Assam Forest Evictions

Bangladesh Opposition leader Shafiqur Rahman has expressed serious concern regarding the eviction of Muslim families from India's Lutumari-Longjap Reserve Forest in Assam, along with reports of mosque demolitions in the area. The remarks represent a rare cross-border intervention on an internal Indian matter, underscoring sensitivities around minority rights and religious freedom in the region.

The reserve forest, located in northeastern Assam, has been subject to a state-led eviction drive that officials say aims to reclaim protected forest land. However, the operations have drawn scrutiny from rights advocates and international observers who question the impact on vulnerable communities living within the forest boundaries.

Assam state officials have countered the concerns, with a state minister pushing back against the criticism. Government representatives have characterized the eviction drive as necessary for environmental conservation and proper forest management, asserting that the operations comply with established legal protocols.

The dispute highlights ongoing tensions between conservation efforts and the rights of communities, particularly religious minorities, residing in forest areas across South Asia. Such cross-border statements have become increasingly common as regional neighbors monitor developments affecting co-ethnic or co-religious populations across shared boundaries.