Diplomatic Correspondent

New Delhi wants to advance bilateral relations with the new government of Bangladesh but problems are emerging at every post. Out of it one is the release of Ansarullah Bangla Team or ABT chief Jasimuddin Rahmani from jail which is a big blow to the South Block. Anandabazar of Kolkata published the online news on September 2, 2024 after receiving this news from the Union Home Ministry of India.

Agni Roy, Delhi Correspondent of Anandabazar Patrika's online edition has made the report. He noted in his report that several hard-line militants have been released from jail in the past few weeks, taking advantage of Bangladesh's volatile politics. According to the sources, this has created fresh panic in the bordering states including Assam, Tripura, West Bengal. ABT has allegedly been spreading its web of terror for the past few years.

According to Indian intelligence, ABT also has links with Al-Qaeda and Pakistani militant outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba. ABT members were recently arrested in Assam. The members of the sleeper cell of the organization have also been caught by the Tripura police. The West Bengal Police also arrested the ABT militants with the new JMB last year in a special operation. By interrogating the detainees, the Indian detectives come to know that the ABT with the support of the Pakistani spy agency ISI has been planning to carry out sabotage in India for many days. Therefore, after the release of ABT chief Rahmani, additional precautions have been issued.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi made Delhi's position clear by congratulating Interim Government Chief Muhammad Yunus on the phone after his swearing-in. Later, Indian High Commissioner Prannoy Verma, appointed in Dhaka, is in regular contact with the new government. In response, the interim government has repeatedly spoken of good relations with Delhi. Amir Shafiqur Rahman of Jamaat-e-Islami also said that they also want to maintain good relations with India. He also commented that Jamaat does not support Islamic militancy. BNP has also forgotten the old enmity and the message of friendship has reached Delhi.

But even after that, India is considered to have no particular reason for relief. One of the main reasons is Jasimuddin Rahmani's release. There is no end to Indian grievances against ABT. Rahmani was arrested by the Bangladesh Police on February 15, 2013, on the charge of murdering blogger Rajeev Haider. But on August 25, this ABT leader was released on bail by the interim government. ABT has been accused of supporting militancy in madrassas in border areas.

Bangladesh was the stronghold of various militant organizations in India before the Hasina government came. According to intelligence reports, at that time various militant organizations including Assam's Alpha, Tripura's ATTTF and NLFT had opened training camps in the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh. Indian separatists were trained by ISI. But after 2009, many Indian militants were forced to surrender without getting a place on the soil of Bangladesh. Peace was established in the North East.

However, the attempts to create unrest did not stop. ABT tried to prevent unrest again by exploiting madrassas in particular. In 2004, 10 truckloads of weapons were recovered as a major proof of Indian terrorist activities on the soil of Bangladesh. In February last year, Alfa general secretary Anup Chetia also admitted that these huge weapons came to Bangladesh for them. He admitted speaking to the Bangladeshi media that the Bangladesh government was aware of the matter and it was with their help that the arms were released in Bangladesh.

Delhi is worried about the way militants are being released during the interim government. India fears that the soil of Bangladesh may again be used for terrorist activities. According to diplomatic experts, if militancy is not suppressed from the beginning, Southeast Asia may turn into turmoil again.