Intel Flags Bangladesh Elections, ISI Push As Biggest Security Challenge For India’s Northeast | India News

The security agencies’ duties have been left unfinished this year as the situation in Bangladesh has deteriorated and Pakistan has returned to its old tricks of destabilizing India. At least three Intelligence Bureau assessments suggest that the biggest challenge this year will be the security situation in Bangladesh and the northeastern states.

An official stated that two highly problematic countries (Myanmar and Bangladesh) will hold elections this year and problems can be expected. There is intense international scrutiny due to the deteriorating security situation in both countries. That’s why the elections will be extremely important, another official said.

However, India is especially concerned about the elections planned to be held in Bangladesh on February 12. With the Awami League unable to participate in the contest, the fight continues between the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the ISI-backed Jamaat-e-Islami.

Persecution of minorities increased during the regime of Muhammad Younis and incidents of violence are reported daily. Moreover, under pressure from the Jamaat, Younis was too friendly with Pakistan and made several exceptions in the negotiation, such as opening the sea route and easing visa norms.

The situation in Bangladesh would be much more challenging compared to Myanmar, where there is no anti-India sentiment, but that is not the case in Bangladesh, an official explained. There is a discourse in Bangladesh that portrays India as a troublemaker. The Jamaat is known to be anti-India, but they are also joined by the National Citizen Party (NCP), which has voiced a similar rhetoric.

Hasnat Abdullah, one of the leaders of NCP, threatened to defect to anti-India forces. Most political formations in Bangladesh believe that elections can be won with anti-India rhetoric. This explains why the Bangladeshi establishment has gone easy on terrorist groups like Harkat-ul-Jihadi Islami (HuJI), Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen, Bangladesh (JMB), among others. Officials say these groups are being nurtured by the Younis regime and the ISI to shake up northeast India in particular.

Yunus himself called the northeast ‘landlocked’. Additionally, there have been several instances where Greater Bangladesh maps have appeared in Bangladesh. This is a clear strategy of the ISI to create trouble in the north-eastern states.

While ISI is making provocative statements about the region, it is also trying to activate its modules in these states. Earlier this week, Assam Police busted a Bangladesh-linked terror module and arrested 11 people. This module was activated by ISI to carry out terror attacks in northeastern states ahead of elections. This terrorist organization was operating under the banner of Imam Mahmuder Kafila (IMK). But officials say it is a proxy for JMB, one of the largest terrorist groups operating outside Bangladesh.

Intelligence Bureau officials say the border will be sensitive as elections approach in both countries. Any violence that occurs in these countries has the potential to spread to the northeastern states and West Bengal. Officials also warn that there is ample evidence that Indian rebel groups operating in Myanmar and ISI-backed elements in Bangladesh will enter India and create trouble during this critical period.

An Intelligence Bureau official said that in the run-up to the elections and before official diplomatic channels are opened, the ISI will put pressure on it using its proxies. Attempts will be made to push hundreds of illegal immigrants into the northeastern states and West Bengal. The official said that they will try to import weapons and ammunition, fake money and narcotics with this.

Another official said it will be a wait-and-watch game until the election process for New Delhi is completed. The official added that the priority will be borders to ensure that the security situation in India does not turn chaotic by then.