Assam Accord panel: Key stakeholder AASU says Bangladesh

A girl ties rakhi to Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. Earlier this week, the Sarma government and the AASU agreed on forming an eight-member sub-committee to look into all aspects of Assam Accord. (Image: Twitter/@himantabiswa)

The 'Assam Accord' has become a household name in the northeastern state because of the sheer volume of debates and discussions the issue has generated in the past 36 years. The signing of the tripartite accord in 1985 marked the culmination of a six-year-long agitation demanding expulsion and deportation of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants.

Over the years, numerous committees and sub-committees were formed on this issue; however, the full implementation of this historic agreement is still a far cry. If that were not enough, one more panel will be constituted to prepare a roadmap for implementation of the Accord.

AASU invited for discussion

Earlier this week, the Himanta Biswa Sarma government and the influential All Assam Students' Union (AASU), one of the signatories of the Accord, agreed on forming an eight-member sub-committee comprising three cabinet ministers and five representatives from the student outfit.

Welcoming the move, AASU chief advisor Samujjal Bhattacharya said the student body wants a solution to the long-pending issue. He also highlighted one of AASU's demands that the matter of deportation of people detected as Bangladeshi nationals be taken up with Dhaka.