Immigration and Bengali Population in Assam: Evidence from Direct and Indirect Demographic Estimation

Actual and ideal fertility differential among natives, immigrants, and descendants of immigrants in a northeastern state of India

“…In general, if the total size of the immigrant population is found to be small, a small difference in fertility between natives and immigrants can have a minor impact on the overall size of the population. In the context of Assam, immigrants or their descendants constitute nearly 16% of the population (Saikia, Saha, et al, ). The existing size of the immigrant population together with differential fertility might have been affecting the total size of the population in Assam.…”

“…The second wave of in‐migration to Assam came during the British colonial period from East Bengal (Davis, ; Superintendent of Census Operations, Assam, 1912; Superintendent of Census Operations, Assam. 1923; Superintendent of Census Operations, Assam & Mullan, 1932; Superintendent of Census Operations, R. B. V. 1954) and later in the post‐Independence period, from East Pakistan (future Bangladesh)—this is well documented (Samaddar, ; Hazarika, ; van Schendel, ; Saikia, Saha, Bora, & Joe, ).…”

“…This stream of in‐migration from East Bengal to Assam continued even after the separation of East Bengal from India in 1947 because of similar push and pull factors in both the origin and destination countries (Superintendent of Census Operations, ; Weiner, ; Nath & Nath, ; Nath, Nath, & Bhattachaya, ; Saikia, Joe, et al, ). Immigration is being facilitated by the vast open porous border between India and Bangladesh.…”

“…Immigration is being facilitated by the vast open porous border between India and Bangladesh. As Assam lacks robust vital registration‐system data, and as census‐based information on immigration data is highly underreported (Census commissioner of Assam, ; Saikia, Saha, et al, ), there have been several attempts to estimate the number of immigrants and their descendants during the post‐Independence era. Estimates as to the magnitude of immigrants in Assam vary among independent studies, yet all studies agree on the presence of a significant number of immigrants from East Pakistan or current Bangladesh to Assam.…”

Documents for identity: Citizenship impasse in Assam, India

“…Muslim settlement in Assam could be traced as early as the 13th century, but this new arrival rapidly changed the religious as well as linguistic configuration of the state. Saikia et al (2016) note Bengal-born settlers increased in the Brahmaputra valley fourfold between 1911 and 1921. The magnitude of the immigration and the surge in numbers was described by 1931 Census Superintendent, CS Mullan, as an ‘invasion of a vast horde of land-hungry immigrants’.…”