Assam CM Himanta Sarma says woman sent to Bangladesh safe, son counters CM

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma maintains that Mumtaz Begum, a 43-year-old woman sent to Bangladesh in June, is safe and in regular communication with her son. However, this claim has left her family, particularly her 26-year-old son Momruz Ali, with numerous questions. Ali has stated that he has had no contact with his mother and has received no official communication from authorities regarding her whereabouts.

He appeals to both the Assam and Indian governments to help locate his mother, who could be in either Assam, India or Bangladesh. If she is alive, Ali insists that she must be present in one of these two countries. This statement contradicts Sarma's earlier remarks, made during a press conference two years ago, which suggested that individuals deported across the border could potentially return, implying that searches should also be conducted in Assam.

The recent order by the Gauhati High Court directing the External Affairs Ministry to locate Mumtaz in Bangladesh and return her to pursue her case before the Foreigners Tribunal has further complicated the situation. Mumtaz was declared a foreigner in 2019 but received interim relief from the High Court in April this year, which overturned the tribunal's decision and ordered a fresh review of her case.

She appeared before the tribunal on May 30, was taken into custody, and subsequently handed over to the Border Security Force (BSF) before being sent to Bangladesh. Authorities in Bangladesh have reportedly begun their search for Mumtaz following TOI's outreach to their authorities; however, no significant breakthroughs have been reported.