Days after igniting a significant controversy with her remarks seemingly supporting the presence of Bangladeshi immigrants in Assam, former Planning Commission member Syeda Hameed appears to have shifted her stance. Her initial comments, made during a visit to Assam as part of a civil society delegation, sparked outrage and drew sharp criticism from Assam's Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who accused her of legitimizing illegal infiltration.

Hameed's earlier statement that "the world is so big that Bangladeshis can also be [in Assam]" triggered a wave of reactions, particularly in light of ongoing eviction drives targeting alleged encroachers in the state. These drives have been a sensitive issue, with concerns raised about the targeting of Bengali-speaking Muslims under the guise of deporting "illegal Bangladeshi immigrants". Data indicates that between 2016 and August 2025, over 15,000 families, predominantly Muslim, have been evicted from government land.

Chief Minister Sarma didn't hold back in his criticism, suggesting that Hameed's stance reflected a tacit support that threatened the cultural and demographic identity of the Assamese people. He went so far as to accuse her of attempting to "realise Jinnah's dream of making Assam a part of Pakistan". Other groups, like the All Assam Students' Union (AASU), also voiced their disapproval, with its president Utpal Sarma accusing Hameed of disregarding the sacrifices made during the anti-foreigners' movement in Assam.

The controversy also drew in political reactions from the opposition. Congress leader Debabrata Saikia, the leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, described Hameed's initial remark as "wrong and unacceptable," suggesting a "lack of understanding" of Assam's problems, such as the pressure on land resources created by migration and erosion. He further stated that humanity should be shown by distributing illegal foreigners outside Assam and the North East, irrespective of religion.

Adding to the complexity of the situation, Hameed was part of a delegation that included figures like former Chief Information Commissioner Wajahat Habibullah and lawyer Prashant Bhushan. The group visited a site in Goalpara district where the Assam government had recently carried out evictions and earmarked an area for a proposed township in Borduar, where concerns have been raised about land acquisition. Bhushan criticized Assam's Chief Minister, accusing him of engaging in "lawless and illegal activities," alleging that the state government was pushing citizens to Bangladesh and demolishing homes illegally. He also claimed that the team was not allowed to visit Goalpara, where evictions had taken place.

The Assam government has defended its actions, stating that it is working to clear illegally occupied forest land. Some have accused the government of handing over agriculturally productive tribal lands to private companies, including the Adani Group.