KARACHI: The Relief Commissioner of East Pakistan, Pir Ahsanuddin, revealed in Karachi on Thursday [July 12] that a fresh influx of Muslim refugees from West Bengal and Assam into East Pakistan has begun. He told an [news agency] correspondent that recently about 400 uprooted Muslim families arrived in the Mymensingh district which adjoins Assam. “We have recently been faced with another problem of fresh refugee influx of Muslims from Nadia district in West Bengal and from Assam. These include the Muslims who had gone back for rehabilitation there as well as those recently uprooted in Assam,” he said.

He observed that he had personally met some of the uprooted families in Mymensingh. Asked to comment on … statements of Bharati leaders … on alleged exodus from East Pakistan due to “insecurity”, the Relief Commissioner remarked: “There is perfect peace and tranquillity in East Pakistan. On the other hand, there were riots in Bharat on the occasion of Id.”

He asserted that “we have rehabilitated in East Pakistan a vast majority of Hindus who have come back from West Bengal, Assam and Tripura —nearly 90 per cent of them.” — News agencies

Published in Dawn, July 13th, 2026