Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday cautioned that unchecked demographic changes could pose serious challenges to the state, stating that Assam could be “automatically included” in Bangladesh if the population of people of Bangladeshi origin increases by another 10 percent.

Speaking to reporters after an official programme in Chabua, Sarma claimed that around 40 percent of Assam’s current population comprises individuals of Bangladeshi origin. He said he has been raising concerns over the issue for the past five years.

The chief minister’s remarks came in response to recent comments made by Bangladesh National Citizen Party leader Hasnat Abdullah. Abdullah had suggested that Dhaka should isolate India’s Northeast and support separatist elements in the region if India attempts to destabilise Bangladesh.

Abdullah also described the Northeast as strategically vulnerable due to its dependence on the narrow Siliguri Corridor, commonly referred to as the “Chicken’s Neck,” which connects the region to mainland India.