GUWAHATI: The Hynniewtrep Integrated Territorial Organisation (HITO), a Meghalaya-based group, has asked Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to help bring the entire Northeast under the Inner-Line Permit (ILP) system. The ILP is a colonial-era law that controls entry into certain border areas. Currently, four northeastern states – Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Mizoram, and Nagaland – follow the ILP rule. Sikkim requires a similar Protected Area Permit. The ILP acts as a travel pass for non-natives. HITO president Donkupar Dkhar said in a letter on December 29, 2025, that threats from Bangladeshi political leaders to destabilise the Northeast make ILP more necessary. He pointed to repeated references to the Siliguri Corridor, also called the 'Chicken’s Neck,' by Bangladesh's interim head Muhammad Yunus. The Siliguri Corridor is a narrow land strip in West Bengal linking the Northeast to mainland India. Mr. Dkhar called the threats “misleading, objectionable, and inimical to the country’s sovereignty.” He also noted the political unrest in Bangladesh and the frequent arrests of Bangladeshi nationals in the Northeast. “In this context, we respectfully urge you, in your capacity as the Chairman of the Northeast Democratic Alliance, to take the lead in demanding the extension of the ILP to the entire Northeast region,” said Mr. Dkhar. HITO and other groups in Meghalaya have long sought ILP implementation in their state. The organisation hopes Assam's CM will lead the push for region-wide ILP coverage to protect the Northeast's strategic interests.