Guwahati, Apr 8: A Bangladeshi national attempting to illegally cross into India was apprehended and pushed back by security forces along the international border, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Monday.

The woman, identified as Moshida Begum, was intercepted near the India-Bangladesh border by Assam Police and Border Security Force (BSF) personnel. She was sent back immediately after being detained.

Sharing the update on social media platform X, Sarma wrote, “Zero tolerance. Constant alert. Bangladeshi infiltrator Moshida Begum was apprehended near the international border and immediately pushed back. Thanks to the relentless vigilance of @assampolice and @BSF_India, state’s borders remain secure.”

Highlighting increased vigilance, the Chief Minister said security forces have been on high alert following unrest in Bangladesh, which has contributed to a rise in infiltration attempts.

“The police have detected a good number of illegal immigrants daily, but no Hindu infiltrator from Bangladesh has been arrested in the last five months,” he added.

Sarma noted that most Hindus who wanted to migrate had already come to India decades ago. He suggested that those who remain in Bangladesh may be staying out of emotional or patriotic reasons despite facing difficulties.

The Chief Minister attributed the recent rise in illegal crossings to the collapse of the textile industry in Bangladesh, which has resulted in significant job losses.

“In the last few months, we have arrested around 1,000 Bangladeshi nationals, who were all pushed back after their arrest,” Sarma said. He also alleged that a few Indian textile industry owners may be encouraging illegal infiltration by offering employment opportunities.