Priya Sarma/Guwahati

For the first time, the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC), led by Bodoland People's Front (BPF) chief Hagrama Mohilary, has a Muslim woman as an elected executive member. As Muslims in BTAD (Bodoland Territorial Autonomous Districts) had been feeling marginalised for a long time, a Muslim woman's election to a council is significant and historic.

BTC is the governing autonomous council of BTAD, aka BTR (Bodoland Territorial Region), comprising Kokrajhar, Chirang, Baksa, Udalguri and Tamulpur of Assam as districts. It was formed following the peace treaty with the Bodoland Liberation Front in February 2003. BTAD covers an area of over 9000 square kilometres and is predominantly inhabited by the Bodo people and other tribal communities of Assam.

Begum Akhtara Ahmed has been elected from Mathanguri constituency of the BTC and inducted into Mohilary’s cabinet. She has been bestowed with the responsibility of the Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department. Regional political party BPF won the single largest party majority in the BTC elections held in September 2025 with 28 seats.

Begum Akhtara Ahmed and  Hagrama Mohilary

Incumbent UPPL won seven seats and the BJP won five seats in the 40-seat council. The BTC was formed in 2003, and Hagrama Mohilary has been in power for the past five years.

Begum Akhtara Ahmed of the BTC had no aim or desire to be in politics as she wanted to be a litterateur. But destiny has another script for her life.

Begum Akhtara was born in the Kalgachia area of Barpeta district. She got her primary education in Kalgachia. She was married while studying in Class VII.

Her husband, Ibrahim Ali Molla, recently retired as a higher secondary school teacher. Begum Akhtara could pursue her education. Her first child was born while she was in Class X. She passed her matriculation examination under such circumstances.

Begum Akhtara Ahmed addressing a political rally

Her second child was born while she was in Class XII. Begum Akhtara continued her education and completed her postgraduate degree from Gauhati University in 2003.

She joined Langla College in the Bangaigaon district as a part-time lecturer, but quit soon. She got involved in politics. She joined the Congress and was appointed as the organising secretary of the Barpeta District Women's Congress.

Since her matrimonial home is in Lawahur village of Mathanguri constituency in Baksa district, she changed her address and became the president of the Baksa District Women's Congress. She joined the BPF in 2004.

Begum Akhtara Ahmed with Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma

This is where her new political journey and new life of conflicts begin. Party chief Mohilary formed the women's wing of the BPF, and she was appointed its president.

After three years as the women's BPF president, she was appointed as the party's organising secretary by party president Hagrama Mohilary.

She contested the 2020 BTC elections for the first time and was defeated by the BJP's Gautam Das in the Mathanguri constituency. This time, however, Begum Akhtara contested from the same constituency for the second time and defeated the same opponent.

Begum Akhtara Ahmed was attacked and her house was torched in the once-violent BTC. She was even threatened and asked to stay away from politics in the BTC.  Once, while she was busy with a political meeting, her car was set on fire at the venue, and she barely survived.

Begum Akhtara Ahmed with activists of her party at a rally

Begum Akhtara Ahmed said three of her cars were set on fire in 2012. It may be mentioned that several incidents of attacks on minorities took place in the BTC in 2012. Most of the attacks took place in the Baksa district, from where many minorities were forced to flee their homes. Several people were even brutally murdered.

However, all this could not distract her from her goals and objectives.

Praising her leader, Hagrama Mohilary, Begum Akhtar said he wants the Bodo people to move forward along with all ethnic groups. So she is happy to work under the leadership of Mohilary.

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According to Begum Akhtara, BTC is a small place. Therefore, it is necessary to rely on the governments at the Centre and in the state to work for its development. Otherwise, developmental work may be interrupted. "We don't have to look at which party’s government is at the Centre or in the State, we have to work with that government in coordination," she said.