• Source:JND

National Citizen Party (NCP) leader Hasnat Abdullah on Monday issued a sharp warning that Bangladesh could shelter forces hostile to India if the country is destabilised, a remark that has triggered concern amid heightened political tension ahead of next year’s general elections.

Addressing a gathering at Dhaka’s Central Shaheed Minar, Abdullah said Bangladesh’s instability would have direct consequences for India’s northeastern region, commonly referred to as the “Seven Sisters”. The region comprises Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura, four of which — Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram — share land borders with Bangladesh.

“We will shelter separatist and anti-India forces and then we will sever the seven sisters from India,” Abdullah said, drawing loud cheers from sections of the audience. He added that destabilising Bangladesh would not remain a domestic issue and could “spread fire beyond borders”.

Strategic Sensitivity Of Northeast

India has long maintained that militant and separatist outfits operating in the Northeast had, in the past, used Bangladeshi territory as sanctuaries, transit routes and logistical bases. During the late 1990s and early 2000s, Indian security agencies had flagged the presence of camps and support networks of insurgent groups from Assam and Tripura across the border.

In Tripura, outfits such as the National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) and the All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF) were repeatedly linked to bases in Bangladesh, with cadres allegedly crossing over after attacks to evade Indian security forces. Islamist extremist groups like Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami (HuJI) and Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) were also accused of maintaining cross-border links affecting eastern India.

This situation, however, changed significantly after Sheikh Hasina returned to power in 2009, when Dhaka launched an extensive crackdown on insurgent groups targeting India, leading to a marked improvement in bilateral security cooperation.

Attack On Candidate, EC Under Fire

Abdullah also strongly criticised the Bangladesh Election Commission, calling it “spineless” for describing the attack on electoral aspirant Sharif Osman Hadi as an “isolated incident”. Hadi, a leader associated with Inquilab Mancha, was shot in the head by masked gunmen in Dhaka on Friday while launching his campaign. He remains in critical condition and has been flown to Singapore for advanced treatment.

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The attack prompted the Election Commission to order an intensified nationwide security vigil ahead of the February 12 polls. Authorities have announced a reward of Tk 50 lakh for information leading to the arrest of the attackers and launched “Operation Devil Hunt 2” to curb escalating violence.

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India, meanwhile, has rejected allegations of interference, stating it has “never allowed its territory to be used against Bangladesh’s interests”.

With inputs from agency.


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