Sonakshi Sarkar

The Assam government has informed the Legislative Assembly that the Act East Policy Affairs Department does not implement any independent projects and therefore has no project-wise fund allocation or implementation progress to report.Replying to a question raised by Congress MLA Wajed Ali Choudhury during the Assembly session on Thursday, Act East Policy Affairs Minister Bimal Bora said the department primarily functions as a facilitator for international engagement, policy dialogue and regional cooperation under India's Act East Policy, rather than as an implementing agency.The minister said the department's expenditure has been directed towards organising international conferences, diplomatic exchanges, academic programmes and…

The Assam government has stepped up its efforts to strengthen the digital presence of the Assamese language and create new opportunities for the state's film and creative industries by reviewing the progress of two major initiatives at Janata Bhawan.Cultural Affairs Minister Bimal Borah chaired two separate meetings on Thursday to assess the progress of work on the standardisation of the Assamese script in Unicode and the proposal to launch a dedicated over-the-top (OTT) platform for Assamese films and digital content.In the first meeting, the minister reviewed the work being carried out by the expert committee constituted by the state government…

More than 36,000 people have been declared foreigners by Foreigners Tribunals (FTs) in Assam since 2021, but only 196 have been repatriated to Bangladesh during the same period, Border Protection and Development Minister Atul Bora informed the Assam Assembly. Replying in writing to a question raised by Congress MLA Mohibur Rohman on Tuesday, Bora said that 36,358 people were declared foreigners by Foreigners Tribunals between 2021 and May 2026. Of these, only 196 have been repatriated to Bangladesh. According to the minister, 7,151 people were declared foreigners in 2021, followed by 9,028 in 2022, the highest during the period. The…

The Railway Protection Force (RPF) detained 11 suspected Bangladeshi nationals from Guwahati Railway Station during a recent operation after they were allegedly found planning to travel to Chennai, officials said. According to sources, all 11 detainees are men and are suspected to have entered India illegally. They were intercepted by the RPF before boarding their onward train, following which they were taken into custody for verification and questioning. Preliminary investigations suggest that the group may have crossed into India through the Tura border in Meghalaya. Investigators are also examining claims that a Bangladesh-based middleman may have facilitated their illegal entry…

Renowned conservation biologist Bibhab Kumar Talukdar has been elected a Fellow of the Linnean Society of London (FLS), one of the world's oldest and most respected scientific societies dedicated to natural history and biological sciences.The honour recognises Talukdar's decades-long contribution to wildlife conservation, particularly his work to protect the endangered one-horned rhinoceros and preserve biodiversity across Northeast India.Talukdar is the founder Secretary General and Executive Director of Assam-based biodiversity organisation Aaranyak. The recognition was announced by the organisation on Monday, describing it as an important international acknowledgement of his work in conservation. Founded in 1788, the Linnean Society of London…

A new digital platform dedicated to documenting Assam's rich birdlife has been launched, offering bird enthusiasts, researchers, students and the general public a single source of information on hundreds of bird species found across the state.Named Pokkhi, the freely accessible website has been developed to showcase Assam's avian diversity while preserving and promoting Assamese bird names alongside English names. The platform is available online and currently features detailed information on 372 bird species recorded in the state.The repository includes carefully curated Assamese and English common names, high-quality field photographs, identification guides, species descriptions and their conservation status based on the…

Two Congress legislators from Assam have written to the president of the Indian Youth Congress, seeking disciplinary action against Zubair Anam Mazumder over his alleged conduct during a party meeting held in Guwahati in May. The letter, signed by Dr. Asif Md. Nazar and Abdus Sobahan Ali Sarkar, relates to an incident that allegedly took place at Rajiv Bhavan on May 21, 2026. According to the legislators, the meeting was attended by newly elected MLAs, former legislators, Members of Parliament and senior leaders of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee. In the letter, the MLAs alleged that Mazumder arrived about 30…

The Assam government will introduce a series of important Bills during the Assembly session beginning on Monday, with a focus on tourism, land administration and urban development. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the proposed legislations are aimed at improving governance, easing regulations and supporting the state's long-term development plans. Addressing a press conference after the state Cabinet meeting on Sunday, the Chief Minister said the Assembly would consider amendments to the Assam Tourism and Development Registration Act, 2024, changes to the Assam Land Revenue Regulation Act, and a new law to establish the Guwahati Satellite City Development Authority. One…

Members of the Muslim community staged a peaceful protest in Assam's Silchar town after Friday prayers, expressing opposition to the state government's proposed Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill and urging its withdrawal.The demonstration was held on Friday in the Berenga area and was organised by several religious and social organisations. A large number of worshippers gathered outside a local mosque after offering Friday prayers and voiced their concerns over the proposed legislation.Protesters carried petitions and placards calling for the withdrawal of the proposed Bill. They argued that the Uniform Civil Code, in its proposed form, was inconsistent with Muslim Personal…

The Biswanath district administration in Assam has ordered the deportation of a man declared a foreigner to Bangladesh under the provisions of the Immigrants (Expulsion from Assam) Act, 1950.The order was issued by Biswanath District Magistrate Karabi Saikia Karan following a report submitted by the Superintendent of Police (Border). The report stated that Kayam Ansari, a resident of Kherbari village in Assam's Sonitpur district, had been declared a Bangladeshi citizen and a foreigner by a Foreigners' Tribunal. According to the official order, Ansari has been lodged at the Matia Transit Camp in Goalpara district since his arrest on May 28,…