India: Mass Demolition Drive in Assam Threatens to Displace 550 Families, Mostly Bengali-Speaking Muslims

India: Mass Demolition Drive in Assam Threatens to Displace 550 Families, Mostly Bengali-Speaking Muslims
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Authorities in India’s northeastern state of Assam have launched a large-scale demolition and eviction campaign in the Almganj area of Dhubri district, threatening to displace around 550 families, most of them Bengali-speaking Muslims.

The operation targets approximately 650 bighas (215 acres) of land, following eviction notices issued to nearly 700 families over alleged illegal occupation of government land. Authorities have deployed around 50 excavators, heavy machinery and thousands of police personnel to carry out the demolitions.

The campaign is part of a series of eviction operations launched by the Assam government since 2021, which have particularly affected Bengali-speaking Muslim communities. While officials justify the measures as efforts to reclaim government land, rights concerns are growing over the displacement of vulnerable families, with no confirmed arrangements for compensation or alternative housing.