Perspective: Bangladesh – The New Islamic Caliphate?

As a landmass, the country today known as Bangladesh has been known for both; the effects of social divisions, famine, natural disasters and religious warfare, and also the land of wealth and culture; from its times of being the land of successive empires and sultanates, to its transformation into a wealthy province under the Mughal Empire, to its conquest by the British East India company which led to its economic and social decline, the effects of the 1947 partition of India, the 1971 War of Liberation (from Pakistan), and currently the menacing divide between the Muslims and the Bengalis, a social divide among the people themselves.

After its formation as an independent country, Bangladesh has frequently experienced the cycle of the growth of terrorism, the violence against the non-Muslims and the suppression of Islamist forces. The arrests of prominent terrorist leaders, and the victory claimed after such arrests by the rulers of the nation, need to be analyzed with care. Radical Islam has grown and thrives under the power politics of the Bangladeshi governments; whether the harsh governance of Sheikh Hasina or the liberal-leftist Govt of the interim ruler Mohammed Yunus.

The illegal migration of Bangladeshi Muslims into India, which can only be calculated after the formation of that country in 1971 is estimated to be 15 million as per the 2011 census of India. This has effectively moved the Bangladesh border 10 to 20 km into Indian territory of the North-East and is challenging the secular nature of Indian polity by local fundamentalists that are supported by external powers. This systematic illegal immigration is demographically changing border states and districts with the illegal occupation of tribal and government lands in Assam, West Bengal and Jharkhand, by Muslims. We must remember that the illegal immigration issue has its roots in the pre-partition era where the then British colonial rulers had encouraged internal migration of labor from what was then the unified state of Bengal into Assam, to exploit the resources in the latter. We must understand that all information gathered from government sources is highly outdated. The biggest limitation of Census data is delay. Since Census figures are published after every 10 years, we do not have the number of people entering India after 2011. The census that was scheduled in October 2024 is yet to be conducted

In 1971, India was forced by Pakistan to fight for and protect the people of what was then East Pakistan from the genocide that was being perpetuated by the West Pakistani Armed Forces. While illegal immigration of Bangladeshis into India, from the years of its independence till today in search of better economic prospects was never given importance by successive Indian governments, the issue has now shifted towards forcible occupation of Indian territory by the Bangladeshi Islamic fundamentalists

The recent coup against their last elected Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has produced a change in the attitude of their “interim government” towards India, and its regressive policies being pursued at this time. Unabated Hinduphobia is at an all-time high in that country ever since its creation in 1971. The Bangladeshi Hindu community which constitutes less than 8% of their population has steadily declined over the last two decades. The interim government under the leadership of Mohammed Yunus, who is considered as a puppet of external powers, is openly giving support to Islamist groups and promoting religious fundamentalism, that is widening internal divisions and is making the migration of Hindus from Bangladesh an unavoidable reality. In around 50 out of 64 districts of the country where Hindus reside, 200 attacks occurred within 10 days of the fall of the Hasina government, including attacks against individuals, incidents of vandalism of businesses and properties, Hindu houses and especially temples. Moreover, there were reported incidents of Hindu property being seized by Muslim gangs in different parts of the country.

Yunus’s caretaker government has actively empowered the radical Islamists and anti-India groups in that country, while denying the persecution and violent attacks against Christians and Hindus. Yunus has referred to the attacks on Hindus as “exaggerated” and argued that such incidents were political in nature, not religious. In reality, his interim government ended the ban on the Islamist party Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh, whose members had supported Pakistani rule in the early 1970s and has a history of violent activities in the country. The separation of East Pakistan from its evil twin West Pakistan, and its birth as Bangladesh was based on their linguistic divide. The Islamists, who were once alienated in Bangladesh are today at the center of its national politics.

Though the radical Islamic presence has been existing in that area since the 1960s, fears about the country getting radicalized came to the forefront following the electoral victory of the ‘Bangladesh Nationalist Party’ [BNP] in 2001, with the help of Islamists fundamental organizations like ‘Jamaat-eIslami’ and the Islamic Oikya Jote [IOJ]. [Dhaka Tribune, May 2013].

The Jamat-e-Islami leader Matiur Rehman Nizami, in his speech of 30 April 2005, had clearly said that his party had achieved its short-term goal of entering mainstream politics and announced his long-term strategy of turning Bangladesh into an Islamic State. This aspiration has now turned into an ambition. It would be prudent of the policy makers of India, to read the book; ‘Bangladesh: The Next Afghanistan’ by Hiranmay Karlekar; in which he discusses the “two-pronged process” by the ‘Jamaat, IOJ and other fundamentalist Islamic organizations’ to push their radical agenda. In his view, “the first element of their strategy is the creation of a wave of Islamist fanaticism on which they can ride to power” while the second element is “installing their own men in strategic positions in the government, thereby creating a state-within-a-State, and taking control over universities, colleges and schools to propagate their brand of reductionist Islam”. Karlekar further notes that this transformation would be through institutions like the ‘Shibir’ [Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir, an Islamist student organization] and the ‘Harkat-ul-Jihad-I-Islami Bangladesh’ [HUJIB]. While the Shibir can be considered as the central coordinator of Jamaat’s terror network, HUJIB is the most important component of the jihadi infrastructure in Bangladesh.

Pakistan is becoming an active influencer in the India–Bangladesh relations. The Pakistan factor was an obscure theme in India-Bangladesh relations for the last decade or so. However, given the turmoil and incidents of empowerment of Islamist groups, Pakistan’s influence is gaining importance. Recently, the 76th death anniversary of Pakistan founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah was celebrated at Dhaka’s National Press Club. While such celebrations have occurred in the past, it being celebrated in the National Press Club adds a new dimension to the influence of Pakistani loyalists in Bangladesh. Similarly, the incident of installing a sign in front of the Indian High Commission in Dhaka that read “Shaheed Felani Road” to showcase a protest against India’s BSF (Border Security Forces) alleged killings of Bangladeshis is something that needs to be considered with utmost seriousness. (Felani was a Bangladeshi minor, who worked as a domestic help in New Delhi. She was returning home with her father through the Anantapur border in Kurigram district on 7 January 2011, when she was supposed to have been shot dead by Indian Border Security Force (BSF) personnel). The BSF has denied these patently false allegations since in India, every ‘use-of-deadly-force’ incident is recorded in detail, and no such records exists for the Felani story that is published from Bangladesh.

It will be prudent to remember that in April 2005; Bangladeshi border guards, specifically the Bangladesh Rifles 7th Battalion at Hirapur, abducted an Indian BSF officer from a flag meeting in Agartala (Tripura), tortured him and shot him dead at point blank range. This was not the first time that Indian BSF personnel had been attacked and killed by the Bangladeshi forces. Since 2001, Bangladesh border forces have repeatedly raided villages that are in the Indian territories, attacked the BSF and civilians, and when repulsed, have retaliated with mortar shelling of the Indian border areas. Over the last 20 years, the Bangladeshi Army and Border forces have pursued an aggressive policy of infiltration, armed raids into India, kidnapping of Indian citizens from border villages and violence without provocation. The Indian governments responses have been placid and defeatist every incident to date. It is unfortunate, that despite such grave provocations on a regular basis, various elected governments of India never took any coercive action against Bangladesh and the Indian government’s pursuit of a policy of dialogue instead of retribution, is encouraging terrorism in Bangladesh and into the borders of India. [Author opinion]

The policy of ‘peace at any cost’ has now reached a dangerous stage for India. The gradual decline of India’s influence over a country that it liberated and helped create, has been due to its confused foreign policy. Over the years, successive governments of India have demonstrated an unexplainable weak-kneed approach while dealing with Bangladesh that continues even today. The recent visit of the Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, for “talks” with Mohammed Yunus is considered as a continuation of this soft policy. In this visit of 09 December 2024, Misri highlighted India’s support for a ‘democratic, stable, peaceful, progressive and inclusive Bangladesh’.

He reiterated “India’s willingness to build a positive and constructive relationship with Bangladesh, based on mutual trust and respect and mutual sensitivity to each other’s concerns and interests”. In a nutshell, India was pleading with the Bangladesh for the safety of Bangladeshi Hindus, instead of conveying to Bangladesh that continued provocation would be countered with a deadly response.

Very little to nothing has been done about the huge influx of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants, majorly Muslim, into Indian cities; and the open support of Bangladesh to Islamic militants operating in India’s north-east region. Shivraj Patil, a former Home Minister of India, stated on 26 May 2004 that, "You cannot compare the illegal influx from Bangladesh with the infiltration happening across the LOC/international border in J&K. Bangladeshis come here mostly to seek employment and thus, their deportation should be done with a human face, without causing them unnecessary harassment." [Hiranmay Karlekar].

Karlekar is right in his assessment that; "Mr. Patil overlooked the fact that what could once have been viewed purely as people crossing over to India in search of jobs cannot now be seen as such because of the rise of the Islamist fundamentalist political parties like the Jamaat and the IOJ and terrorist militia like the HUJIB in Bangladesh, and the promotion of cross-border terrorism in India by them as well as by the Bangladesh government through its intelligence agencies."

The growing number of cases in which HUJIB cadres have been involved in terrorist attacks in various Indian cities clearly points to the use of terrorism to gain political mileage. The HUJIB had reportedly been formed drawing inspiration from Osama bin Laden and continues to maintain active links with the Al Qaeda network and the Taliban in Afghanistan. A large number of volunteers had gone to Afghanistan to fight alongside the Mujahideen in the war against the former Soviet Union. These Mujahideen returned to Bangladesh during the BNP regime of Begum Khaleda Zia (1991-96) and are now spearheading the fundamentalist movement in the country. The HUJIB maintains links with terrorist groups operating in India’s Northeast, including with the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), and is reportedly managing some of ULFA’s camps situated in the Chittagong Hill Tracts in Bangladesh along the border with the Indian State of Tripura. [South Asia Terrorism Portal, 2017]

India’s political desire to reform Bangladesh through “benign policies”, overlooks and ignores the dangers of the long-term impact on India by an Islamist Bangladesh. Under the current Mohammed Yunus regime, the Islamists are already claiming ownership of the Indian states of Bengal, Bihar and Odisha, as publicly claimed by a BNP leader of Bangladesh. While this statement might sound like a flight of fantasy to most Indians, it gives a glimpse of the long-term objective of the Islamists radicals. Policy makers in India should not forget that Islamists always have a long-term goal of Islamic supremacy to which they aspire for generations and are unwavering in their activities to achieve it.

The Islamic State (ISIS/Daesh) made its presence known in Bangladesh on 01 July 2016, when five Daesh inspired terrorists took over the Holey Artisan Bakery in the upscale suburb of Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, in a 12–hour siege that ended with the death of 20 hostages, 18 of whom were foreigners. Although Daesh claimed responsibility for this attack, no evidence was found that it had directly aided or provided material and logistics support to the perpetrators. The attackers, all in their late teens or early 20s, were identified as wealthy youngsters from Bangladesh's elite, having attended top private schools and universities in Bangladesh and abroad. They had been radicalized online through the social media accounts of Daesh. [The Japan Times, 2016]. The government of Sheikh Hasina, which had till then, d

The government of Sheikh Hasina, which had till then, denied the presence of any transnational Islamic terrorists’ organizations in the country; launched a massive counter–terrorism operation to suppress terrorist activities in Bangladesh. However, the rot runs deep. Since this attack there has been a resurgence in the activities of non-violent extremist groups like the ‘Hizb-ut-Tahrir’ on university campuses as well as the student wings of terrorist organizations such as the Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB). This has created an echo chamber in which affiliation to Islamic terror organizations is considered as a legitimate means of rebellion against the current order of student politics

This has led to sporadic attacks on non-Muslim minorities, as well as Sufis, Ahmedis, liberals and secular socialists and foreigners, all of whom are considered as enemies of pure Islam as defined by the ideologies of Daesh and al-Qaeda.

Western countries blindly perceive Bangladesh as a “success story” of a moderate, secular, Muslim democracy. While the Islamic terrorism in this country had not reached the same lethal levels as in Pakistan, Syria, and Afghanistan; statistics derived from the Global Terrorism Database, record that approximately 944 terrorist attacks have taken place between 2000 and 2015; wherein 114 were undertaken by verified Islamic terrorists’ groups. Bangladesh is experiencing creeping Islamism that has manifested into terrorist attacks. Intelligence analysis estimates that there are about 20 terrorists’ groups that are currently active inside the country with sporadic attacks across the borders of India, especially in the North-Eastern states

The most prominent of these terrorists’ groups is the ‘Harkat-ul Jihad al-Islami Bangladesh [HUJIB], launched in 1992 and fully funded by the al-Qaeda, with the declared aim of converting Bangladesh into an Islamic state. Following the 11 September 2001 attack in the U.S., HUJIB established strong links with the Pakistani based Lashkar-e-Taiba [LeT] terrorist organization, links that are dominating the political landscape of Bangladesh today after the forced ouster of Sheikh Hasina from power. Earlier, the HUJIB had carried out a failed assassinate Sheikh Hasina in August 2004, resulting in many of the HUJIB leaders being imprisoned or killed

Fast forward to today, the interim government of Mohammed Yunus has released the al-Qaeda linked terror group chief Jashimuddin Rahmani and lifted the ban on the Jamaat-e-Islami [JeI] group. Founded in 1941 in British colonial India, the JeI is an Islamist fundamentalist movement that is focused on creating Islamic nations in Pakistan, Bangladesh and India; and has been accused of systematic genocide of the Bangladeshi people and other violent activities. Abul Kalam Azad, a nationally known Islamic cleric and a member of Jamaat, was charged with genocide, rape, abduction, confinement and torture. He was tried in absentia after having fled the country; and is believed to be in Pakistan.

On 28 February 2013, Delwar Hossain Sayeedi, the deputy of Jamaat, was found guilty of genocide, rape and religious persecution. He was sentenced to death by hanging, which was commuted to life in prison. However, he was soon released from jail and then proceeded to travel internationally, especially to the UK to conduct rallies in London and Louton where his supporters usually indulged in violence. Interestingly, his visits to the UK were approved by its foreign office. He died a free man in 2023, his death being caused by a heart-attack.

Muhammad Kamaruzzaman, senior assistant secretary general of Jamaat-e-Islami was indicted on 7 June 2012 on 7 counts of crimes against humanity. On 9 May 2013, he was convicted and given the death penalty on five counts of mass killings, rape, torture and kidnapping. He was executed by hanging on 11 April 2015 in Dhaka Central Jail.

The JeI’s stated objective is to transform Bangladesh into an Islamic State. Both the party itself and its student wing the Islami Chhatra Shibir [aka Shibir] is under international scrutiny for their involvement in several terrorists’ attacks against religious minorities, especially the Hindus in that country. Local groups such as the JeI are supported on-the-ground by the Pakistani LeT, as well as by Daesh and al-Qaeda. Daesh formally announced its presence in Bangladesh in November 2015, with the publication of an article titled ‘The Revival of Jihad in Bengal’ in its English language magazine ‘Dabiq’, including an interview with Sheikh Abu al-Hanif, allegedly the leader of its operations in the country. The group aims to replace Bangladesh’s current government with an Islamic State and implement Daesh’s strict interpretation of Sharia Law. It has taken responsibility of various attacks in Bangladesh, yet the government there continues to deny the presence of both Daesh and al-Qaeda in its country

The preoccupation of Sheikh Hasina in suppressing political opposition and dissent against her government has facilitated the creation and growth of Islamic terrorists’ organizations in her country. In the aftermath of the Holey Artisan Bakery attack in 2016, Hasina did not hesitate to point a finger at her political opposition while condemning those who “have resorted to terrorism after failing to win the hearts of people democratically”; an implicit reference to the BNP. Moreover, in spite of Sheikh Hasina’s supposedly secular reputation, she has restrained from openly condemning the killings of several liberal and secular activists and religious minorities and has even exerted blame on the victims for inciting terrorists due to their liberal writings. [European Foundation for South Asian Studies, EFSAS, 2018]

The on-going conflict in Syria, where ISIS and al-Qaeda associated militants have overthrown the long-lasted Assad government has undoubtedly brought a new resurgence in Islamist terrorism worldwide; and the threat of Jihadist returnees from this conflict zone should be perceived as a key challenge to the changing politics of Bangladesh. Islamist hardliners are re-establishing and asserting their presence in Bangladesh and this should be considered as a “clear and present threat” to the security of India. In the past few weeks, a convicted Islamist militant has been released and nine suspected radicals escaped during a jail break last in November. Jashimuddin Rahmani, chief of the Ansarullah Bangla Team, which was designated as a terror outfit by Hasina’s government in 2016, walked out of prison last month. He had been sentenced to five years in prison in 2015 in connection with the murder of an atheist blogger and had been in jail even after his prison term ended because of other pending cases. The Mohammed Yunus government commuted all cases and released him.

The Rohingya influx may bear significant security ramifications for Bangladesh, while the issue of radicalization has never been actively debated. The involvement of Muslim ethnic Rohingyas in Islamist terrorist activities within Bangladesh is not a new phenomenon. In the early 1980s, the Rohingyas established the Rohingya Solidarity Organization (RSO) as a response to the enormous military operation launched by the Myanmar military which drove approximately 200,000 Rohingya into Bangladesh. With the explicit support of Bangladeshi Islamist groups like HUJIB and the JMB, the Rohingya received training on the handling of bombs whereas the latter trained JMB in matters of firearms tactics. Essentially this relationship, tacitly encouraged by the then Bangladesh government headed by Khaleda Zia, helped shape future relationships between various militant groups who use the hill tracts as their bases. The Rohingyas became sources of recruitments for varying transnational Islamist organizations such as the Afghan Taliban and Al-Qaeda, eventually leaving few terrorists behind in Bangladesh. Terrorist groups related to Jamaat-e-Islami have been actively recruiting Rohingya refugees. Both AQIS and IS have explicitly identified the Rohingyas in their media outlets as important hub of actions. [Fair, Hamza and Heller, Study of 2017]

The Bangladesh interim government does not want to engage through official channels, does not intend to communicate effectively, and makes false statements about minority persecution, while enabling recognition to organisations like the Jamaat. In the meantime, they assert they are open to good relations. Such a contrast between fact and fiction is a really worrying development. (The Sunday Guardian, September 2024). The persistent targeting of minorities, especially Hindus, by vicious Muslim mobs in Bangladesh has severely discredited the claims of “secularism” offered by the interim government of “Chief Adviser” Muhammad Yunus while his administration keeps blaming India for highlighting the violence and mass killings in a desperate attempt to deflect attention from the more pressing matter. In its recent display of indifference regarding the rapes and murders of Hindus as well as the destruction of their temples and properties, Bangladesh’s regime, on 4th December, claimed that India’s “governing elite” was trying to turn the situation beyond the border into an “international political issue” between the two nations.

It subtly implied that the massacre of Hindus at the hands of the jihadis was not something that India, or anyone else, should be concerned about, suggesting it was not a matter of significant importance. The comments by Bangladesh officials came after Indian officials expressed concern over the increasing attack on Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh. Information adviser of Bangladesh, Nahid Islam said, “If this (the concern) happens it will be harmful to India’s domestic politics. AntiBangladesh and anti-Muslim politics won’t benefit India’s national interest or promote its unity,” reported The Times of India. He was among the student activists that led the rebellion against deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina prior to entering the interim government

Meanwhile, the administration of Yunus continues to actively support anti-Hindu violence, not only through statements but also by tacitly endorsing the killings and subsequently denying them. The same was also pointed out by Sheikh Hasina who referred to Mohammed Yunus as “the mastermind” behind the unrest and mass killings in the country. His associate Nahid called on India to maintain “harmony” and “cease false propaganda” against Bangladesh. The crucial question that Hindus across the world must ask is that; can this still be considered as ‘false propaganda’ when documented evidence in the form of videos and independent media reports from within Bangladesh is widely available, detailing the atrocities being committed against Hindus and other minority groups?

The Indian government and the people should not be surprised that the foreign policy of Bangladesh in relation to India’s concerns has shifted to ignoring the crimes of humanity of its Islamists and blaming India shamelessly, for urging the Yunus government to fulfil its responsibilities and protect all of its citizens, regardless of their religion

Nahid Islam claims that “Bangladesh shares historical and cultural ties with West Bengal, Tripura and Assam. They are our stakeholders. During the uprising in Bangladesh, students from Kolkata and Delhi stood in solidarity with us and protested Hasina’s atrocities. India’s democracy-loving people are our friends.” The fact is that, historically speaking, the landmass of the Bangladesh of today used to be part of a Greater India for thousands of years, and the very existence of Bangladesh was made possible through the efforts and support of India. However, as is normal with the radical Islamists, they have decided to ignore the real history of the past and attack the democratic foundations of India. Democracy supports equality for all and justice as per the Constitution. Both these concepts are denied by the Islamists terrorists, where they consider themselves as a superior race of humanity and are committed to following only the Laws of Sharia. Due to the weakness of the Indian foreign policy, Nahid aggressively expounds the standard Islamists pre-existing cliché of blaming the Hindutva of India for the horrific crimes being committed by the Islamist terrorists in Bangladesh. “They perceive the Bangladesh uprising and the political awakening of its students as a threat. As a result, they are fostering hatred towards Bangladesh,” he stated

The reality is that there is deep concern that the Hindus in Bangladesh are being slaughtered by the very bloodthirsty Islamists fanatics that the interim government of Yunus supports and, in many ways, encourages. The situation in that country has nothing to do with Hindutva, and everything to do with the Islamist mentality of conquest through genocide; a genocide to which the current government of India has failed to respond in a decisive fashion. Let us all understand that dialogue is not a decision when our enemies are Islamist fanatics, it’s a defeat. Indian officials are reportedly “upset” with the ongoing developments, and “India is waiting and watching developments in Bangladesh, taking note of statements emanating from Dhaka representing both official views and views expressed by prominent individuals,” an Indian official told the BBC on condition of anonymity. (BBC, November 2024).

The domestic policies of Bangladesh have always been influenced by religion and mainstream parties have used Islamist political parties as pressure groups to win elections. Before the coup of 2024; two major parties, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party [BNP] and the Awami League [AL] dominated the politics of that country, and both allied with the Islamists when it was politically advantageous. With new dynamics emerging in the current political atmosphere, the Islamists parties are trying to form new alliances with the Jamaat-e-Islami [JeI] calling for unity among Islamists political groups for the upcoming parliamentary elections. It is widely assumed that the Awami League of Sheikh Hasina will not be able to achieve any notable success in these forthcoming elections and the Islamists parties aim to unite and establish themselves as the primary opposition in the Bangladeshi Parliament, if they fail to actually grab power. While the electoral situation remains unclear, the JeI believes that the country needs strong national unity based on unity among Islamists parties.

According to Dr. Abdul Latif Masum, a retired professor from the Department of Government and Politics at Jahangirnagar University, Dhaka, and an analyst focusing on the BNP and Islamist political parties; “the alliance of Islamist political parties has potential for two reasons: first, global factors, and second, the internal political dynamics of Bangladesh. Globally, Islamist politics has seen a resurgence and revival. In Bangladesh, during Hasina’s regime, Islamist parties were marginalized, yet they contributed during periods of revolution, which earned them some sympathy and support. The BNP has a less transparent past, and in the post August 5th times, some local BNP leaders were involved in looting and land grabbing, similar to AL leaders."

Masum went on to say, “Nowadays, we notice large gatherings at Islamist political party programs, but they still struggle in the electoral arena. A bitter reality in Bangladeshi elections remains the influence of the ‘three Ms’ (money, muscle, and media), and Islamist parties lag far behind in this race. On the other hand, the BNP has unseen support that Islamist political parties cannot surpass. While JeI and other Islamist political parties’ alliances may not form the government in the next election, their seat count could still increase.” [Diplomat, Nov 2024].

The obvious takeaway from the unfolding developments is that hard times follow in Bangladesh for the minorities and in the country’s relationship with India. There is a fine line between words and actions. So far, the interim government in Bangladesh seems oblivious to such a distinction. The pretext of free and fair elections that the interim government will be overseeing is also disputable, given the mass suppression and persecution of Awami League members all throughout Bangladesh. Events highlight the crucial fact about the plight of the Hindu population; that the Hinduphobia is real and growing, with little recognition of Hindu persecution by the world or India’s actions in countering it by action, rather than only words. [Hinduphobia is the hate matrix constructed by the leftists-liberals and it has found a place in the immediate neighborhood and in Canada, the US and Europe].

Given the rising trend of Islamist terrorism in Bangladesh; the other South Asian countries should not remain in their own cocoon of security regarding potential spillover of Islamists politics into their sovereign territories. Taking into account India’s close geographical proximity to Bangladesh, Indian security planners should take notice of the on-going developments in Bangladesh. In addition to the threat of radicalization amongst Rohingyas, analysts point to the Jaipur and Assam bombings in 2008, observing that both attacks were implemented by Bangladeshi terrorist groups in cooperation with Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence agencies (ISI). Similarly, the Burdwan bombings of 02 October 2014 have also been traced back to Bangladesh. An investigation conducted by India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) has revealed that JMB has spread its network in the Indian state of West Bengal where they have been known to operate. 19 members of the JMB (Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh) were convicted to various jail sentences by the Special Courts in India.

That the JMB has been involved in recruitment, radicalization, and training of Indian youths by organizing terrorist camps in Indian Madrasas, is well known. A report published by the Journal of Himalayan and Central Asian Studies has asserted that Pakistan may profit from current developments of Islamist terrorism in Bangladesh, as this keeps India’s northeast unstable. More recently, Malaysian authorities arrested three suspected Daesh terrorists, which included a Bangladeshi national, suggesting that Bangladeshi citizens may be currently recruited overseas. This underlines the possibility of a linkage between the Daesh in Bangladesh and its branches in Southeast Asia, an issue of which governments in the South-East Asia regions should take serious note and concern. The complex sociopolitical and socio-cultural narratives present in Asia have rendered the region into a potential region for Daesh’s influence; and with the influence of such terrorist entities becoming more prominent throughout the region, governments must invest in regional and international cooperation in order to stop the growing terrorists’ network and its influence. [Balasubramaniyan Viswanathan, analyst at the Toronto-based Geopolitical Monitor, 2024]