In the lead up to the publication of the final draft of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in the Indian state of Assam at midnight today (Monday), Dhaka has received assurance from New Delhi that Bangladesh will not be impacted in any manner, according to highly-placed sources in the government. Although Bangladesh considers the exercise as an Indian internal issue, it is monitoring the development in the neighbouring state carefully and has taken necessary preparations along the border to face any untoward incidents, they said.

“The updating of the NRC is absolutely an internal issue of India. But, somehow, unjustly the name of Bangladesh is associated in the process. Therefore, we are monitoring the situation and have taken preparations along the border with Assam to prevent any untoward incidents,” a top diplomat told The Independent.

To a question, he said, “India never ever raised the issue related to the so-called Bangladeshi illegal migration in Assam at any level of bilateral talks. But, having had the extensive media coverage by Indian media associating Bangladesh in it, we took up the matter informally with the Indians. And they have assured us that the exercise will not have any negative impact on our country.”

“Despite the assurance, we are closely monitoring the situation across the border carefully and preparations are in place to face any untoward incidents along the border with Assam,” he added.

The top diplomat also said that Bangladesh has nothing to do with the updating of the NRC.

“It is, however, very unfortunate that the Indian central government has allowed media and politicians to associate Bangladesh with an internal process of India,” he said, adding, “It’s not something we expected of the Indian government given the warm relationship both the countries enjoy.”

The home minister, Asaduzzaman Khan, told this correspondent on Friday night that the border with Assam is sealed and preparations are in place to prevent any intrusion from across the border.

Among 3.29crore applicants, the first draft containing 1.9 crore names has been published in the first draft of the NRC at midnight of December 31, 2017, leaving behind 1.39 crore applications for later consideration.

Over the last few days, politicians, journalists, academicians and common people told this correspondent from Assam that Assam is in a ‘very tense’ situation ahead of the publication of the final draft.

Although the Assamese state government assured that those who will not be able to make it to the final draft will not be declared foreigners immediately, many people, predominantly Bangla-speaking Muslims are having a tough time because they are seemingly most vulnerable to be eliminated from the draft.

Last month, four United Nations experts expressed their concern over the discrimination faced by the Bangla-speaking Muslims in Assam for a long time.

In a letter to Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, the experts called upon the central government in Delhi to adhere to the international law and standards in updating the NRC.

It has been learned that the security has also been enhanced in the state of Assam to face any disturbance regarding the publication of the final draft.