The Bodo Liberation Tigers (also known as the Bodo Liberation Tiger Force or BLTF) was established on June 18, 1996, under the leadership of Prem Singh Brahma.

BLT's projected its major objectives as:

1. creation of a separate State of Bodoland in the north bank of the Brahmaputra;
2. creation of an autonomous district council in the south bank of the Brahmaputra; and
3. inclusion of the Bodos of Karbi Anglong district in the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution.

Hagrama Basumatary is the chairman-cum-commander-in-chief of BLT. In the interim Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC), Basumatary is the Chief Executive Member. Other important leaders of the BLT include Kamal Mushahray alias Chandran Narzari, vice-chairman (Vice-Executive Member of the interim BTC); and Mainao Daimary, publicity secretary (member of the interim BTC) and the secretary general Derhasat Basumatary (Member of the interim BTC).

On December 6, 2003, 2641 BLT cadres renounced violence and surrendered along with arms and ammunition at Kokrajhar, marking an end to seven years of insurgency. On the following day, an interim 12-member executive council of the BTC was formed in Kokrajhar.

A Memorandum of Settlement (MoS) for the creation of the BTC was reached at a tripartite meeting held in New Delhi on February 10, 2003, between the representatives of Union Government, Assam government and a BLT delegation.

The main provisions of the MoS related 'to creation of the BTC, an autonomous self governing body within the state of Assam and under the provisions of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India to fulfill economic, educational and linguistic aspirations, socio-cultural and ethnic identity of the Bodos; and to speed up the infrastructure development in BTC area.'

The BTC would comprise 3,082 villages in four districts — Kokrajhar and the three yet to be created - Chirang, Udalguri and Baska. The BTC would have 40 elected representatives and the Assam government would nominate six more. Of the elected representatives, 30 seats would be reserved for tribals, five for non-tribals, and the remaining five would be open for general contest.

The BLT, prior to its en masse surrender, had been observing a ceasefire with the Government since July 14, 1999. This ceasefire was formally agreed to in March 2000 and subsequently at the January 20, 2003, the tripartite meeting was extended till February 21, 2003.