Assam teacher allegedly deported to Bangladesh amid citizenship dispute

A former government school teacher from Assam's Morigaon district has alleged that he was forcibly deported to Bangladesh by Indian authorities, despite his ongoing legal battle in the Supreme Court regarding his citizenship status. The incident has sparked widespread outrage on social media and renewed scrutiny over the functioning of Assam’s Foreigners' Tribunals.

Khairul Islam, a former teacher of Thengsali Khandapukhuri primary school Primary School, claims he was among 14 individuals who were forcibly taken to the India-Bangladesh border and pushed into Bangladeshi territory by the Border Security Force (BSF) early Monday morning, May 26.

A viral video shows Islam standing in an open field in Bangladesh’s Kurigram district, speaking to a local journalist. “I told the Assam police I was a teacher and deserved respect,” he said. “But they tied my hands like a criminal and forced me into a bus. Around 4 a.m., we were pushed across the border.”

Islam had been declared a “foreigner” by a Foreigners’ Tribunal in 2016—a decision upheld by the Gauhati High Court in 2018. He was subsequently detained in the Matia Detention Centre for two years and released on bail in August 2020. His appeal against the High Court ruling remains pending in the Supreme Court, with the last hearing held on December 17, 2024.

Despite the ongoing case, Assam police allegedly picked him up from his home in Khandapukhuri village on May 23 and sent him back to the detention centre. Just three days later, he was reportedly deported.

According to a source at the Matia detention facility, who spoke on condition of anonymity, “Several detainees were boarded onto three buses, blindfolded, and transported by border police and central forces.”

Islam told journalists he was beaten for refusing to leave the camp. “They assaulted me because I didn’t agree to go. I was born in India. My parents were born here. I’ve said this a hundred times—I am Assamese,” he said.

His wife, Rita Khanam, questioned the legality of the move. “How can they deport him when the case is still being heard by the Supreme Court?” she asked.

The Foreigners' Tribunals in Assam have long faced criticism for alleged arbitrariness and bias, with accusations that individuals have been declared foreigners due to minor spelling errors, lack of documentation, or simple memory lapses during hearings.

The Indian government has yet to issue an official statement regarding the alleged deportation. Meanwhile, rights activists and legal experts are calling for an independent investigation into the matter.