Assam launches eviction drive in Dhubri, 550 families face displacement

Millat Times Desk

02 November 2026 (Publish: 09:34 AM IST)

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Hundreds of families are facing displacement as the Assam government launched an eviction drive on Sunday to clear around 650 bighas (nearly 215 acres) of land in Dhubri district over alleged encroachment, officials said.

According to officials, the operation is expected to affect nearly 550 families in Alamganj Part-9 under the Gauripur revenue circle.

Dhubri District Commissioner Dibakar Nath said the administration began the operation on Sunday morning after issuing eviction notices to around 700 families allegedly occupying approximately 800 bighas of land.

“Of them, 150 people living on around 150 bighas have approached the court seeking relief. As the matter is sub judice, the eviction drive was not carried out on those lands,” Nath said to media.

The administration proceeded with the eviction on the remaining 650 bighas. Nath said several families had already vacated the area voluntarily after receiving notices.

He added that the operation was proceeding peacefully, with no resistance reported so far, and that the administration aimed to complete the exercise on Sunday.

Authorities deployed around 50 excavators, numerous tractor-trolleys and other machinery, supported by thousands of civil and police personnel, to carry out the operation.

The latest eviction drive comes amid a series of similar operations conducted by the Himanta Biswa Sarma-led Assam government since it first came to power in 2021. These drives have largely affected Bengali-speaking Muslim communities, commonly referred to as ‘Miyas’ in Assam.

The term ‘Miya’ has historically been used as a derogatory label for Bengali-speaking Muslims in Assam, who are often portrayed by others as Bangladeshi immigrants. However, in recent years, members of the community and activists have increasingly reclaimed the term as a symbol of identity and resistance.