Guwahati, June 14 -- Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday said that the implementation of border fencing provisions envisaged under the 1985 Assam Accord had effectively begun only in recent years, describing the delay in securing the India-Bangladesh border across northeastern states as a "historical mistake."

Speaking to reporters, Sarma said that while fencing along the Assam-Bangladesh border was initiated after the signing of the Assam Accord, similar efforts were not simultaneously extended to other bordering states, including Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram and West Bengal.

"Assam shares a 1,600-km border with Bangladesh. After signing the Assam Accord, we said that border fencing should be done along the Assam-Banglade...