Cross-Border Migration beyond Borderlands: Perceived Societal Transformation in Lakhimpur District, Assam

Author(s): Darshana Saikia and Diganta Hatiboruah

Abstract:

Migration from Bangladesh has remained a significant socio-economic and political issue in Assam, particularly in relation to labour competition, livelihood demographic change, pressure on local resources and questions of identity and political belonging. Existing literature on migration in Assam has predominantly focused on districts situated along the Indo-Bangladesh border, while comparatively limited attention has been paid to migration-related transformations within interior regions of the state. Against this backdrop, the present study examines perceived societal transformation in Lakhimpur district, a non-border region of Assam that has experienced notable migration-related changes over time. Drawing upon Lee’s Push-Pull Theory and insights from Social Identity Theory, the study adopts a mixed-method research. The findings suggest that migration related perceptions in Lakhimpur are shaped through interconnected experiences of economic insecurity, demographic transformation, and political anxiety. Respondents frequently associated migration from Bangladesh with increasing labour market competition, declining wage opportunities, pressure on land and local resources, and changing social and political relations. These concerns were often linked to broader anxieties surrounding identity, belonging and the perceived transformation of local social structure. The study further argues that migration-related anxieties in Assam are no longer confined to districts directly bordering Bangladesh but have increasingly extended into inland regions, where migration is understood through everyday experiences of economic and social change. By shifting attention from border districts to an interior non-boarder setting, the paper contributes to broader discussions on migration, identity and societal transformation in South-East Asia. It also highlights the importance of examining local experiences of migration beyond conventional borderland frameworks.

keywords:
Cross-border migration, societal transformation, Native population, Non-border region, Assam, Bangladesh.

Pages: 19-25     |    33 View     |    1 Download