BEGIN:VCALENDAR
VERSION:2.0
PRODID:-//MP-IDSA - ECPv6.15.12.2//NONSGML v1.0//EN
CALSCALE:GREGORIAN
METHOD:PUBLISH
X-WR-CALNAME:MP-IDSA
X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://idsa.in
X-WR-CALDESC:Events for MP-IDSA
REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H
X-Robots-Tag:noindex
X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H
BEGIN:VTIMEZONE
TZID:Asia/Kolkata
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:+0530
TZOFFSETTO:+0530
TZNAME:IST
DTSTART:20140101T000000
END:STANDARD
END:VTIMEZONE
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Asia/Kolkata:20150220T053000
DTEND;TZID=Asia/Kolkata:20150220T053000
DTSTAMP:20261104T161121
CREATED:20231223T133146Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20231224T130237Z
UID:63079-1424410200-1424410200@idsa.in
SUMMARY:Expanding Footprint of Bangladeshi Terror Network in India
DESCRIPTION:Chair: General (Retd.) Y.M.  BammiExternal Discussants: Mr. K. Srinivasan  and Mr. Malladi Rama RaoInternal Discussant: Ms. Gulbin Sultana \nIndia has often accused  Bangladesh of harbouring insurgents and exporting terrorism to India. However\,  the October 02\, 2014 Burdwan blast has challenged this notion. The case has demonstrated that terrorist groups are operating from within Indian territory. Anand Kumar’s paper tries to understand how groups such as the Jama’atul  Mujaheedin Bangladesh (JMB) have expanded their reach in the Indian state of  West Bengal. The paper also attempts to gain a better understanding of their  recruitment pattern. The paper highlights the broader issue of how prolonged neglect  of the porous India-Bangladesh border and use of migrants for electoral gains has  created a permissive environment for the Bangladeshi terrorist networks to  operate in India. This has undermined both Indian and Bangladeshi security  interests. \nIndia’s  sustained pressure on the Bangladeshi Government and the latter’s willingness  to stamp out terrorism under the leadership of Sheikh Hasina has made it  increasingly difficult for terror groups to function in Bangladesh. Since 2005\, the Bangladeshi Government under Prime Minister Hasina has initiated a serious cracked down on terror and other radical Islamist groups in Bangladesh. The Bangladesh war crime trials were a result of this crackdown.  Although this policy saw a  subsequent decline in support of terror outfits in Bangladesh\, it also simultaneously  pressured terror groups such as the JMB to expand their networks into India. The  Indian state of West Bengal has since become a sanctuary for such terror groups. \nThe  author argues that West Bengal in general is conducive for growing terrorist  networks as it shares a porous border with Bangladesh\, and its metropolitan  character not only makes it well-connected to other regions of India but also makes  it difficult for government authorities to locate such terror outfits. The October  2014 Burdwan blast has shown that materials such as ammonium nitrate were  sourced from Kolkata. The blast also demonstrated that whilst the JMB has been active in India for quite some time\,  the Indian Government has not been able to take any effective action against its expanding network. \nAccording  to the author\, a major reason for government inaction could be attributed to  the role of the ruling party\, the Trinamool Congress (TMC)\, in the state of West  Bengal. The TMC has made it easier for extremist forces to operate within the  state. For example\, in the case of the accidental Burdwan blast\, upon discovery  of the bombs\, the West Bengal police had exploded the bombs by a river side instead  of seeking forensic evidence. The TMC Rajya Sabha member Ahmed Hassan Imran is  also allegedly linked to the Jama’at. He was one of the founders of the Islamic  Students’ Organisation and president of its West Bengal chapter. Imran is also known  for inciting violence\, and attending anti-India and anti-Awami League seminars.  Moreover\, in spite of charges of inciting communal violence in the district of  Parganas\, Imran was made a Rajya Sabha member in February 2014. The TMC has also been extremely reluctant to hand over the Bardwan Blast  investigation to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).The author argues that the primary reason for the TMC to allow such groups to flourish in West Bengal is due to electoral support the party receives from the migrant population originating from Bangladesh. \nThe  Burdwan blast also indicated the existence of a regional and pan-India terror  network. It has been found that there are 58 terror modules operating from West  Bengal alone. The funding for such groups comes from across the border and more  than a $1 billion worth of taxable goods have been smuggled into India. The  terror networks also rely on smuggling fake Indian currency notes. More  specifically\, the Saradha scam has revealed that money could be reaching  extremist groups through New Delhi to Bangladesh.  Whilst such avenues for funding have been  known to exist\, it has been extremely difficult to trace the flow of funds to  such terror networks. \nAnother  interesting development is that the Jama’at has been increasingly targeting  female recruits. In doing so\, the Jama’at also supports women’s rights to study\,  work and vote. Its strategy is to deepen its terror network by marrying trained  women to men who are already working for the terror group. Such couple modelling  allows for better indoctrination and greater loyalty to the terror network. \nThe author  concludes that whilst there has been seamless cooperation between the Indian and  Bangladeshi governments on security issues\, such cooperation is lacking between  the state and central levels of government within India. The Burdwan blast  should act as a wakeup call for security agencies as well as the political  establishment in India. It is clear that Jihadi terror networks are now deeply  entrenched in the sub-continent and are looking for opportunities for revival.  Unfortunately\, political forces at the state level seem to be allying with Jihadi  forces for electoral benefits\, and this is impinging upon the security of the  Indian state. The Indian policy on migration and terrorism also needs to be disentangled  in order to approach the issue of terrorism in India in a more effective manner. \nSuggestions/Comments: \n\nThe paper must thoroughly explore the concept  of ‘Greater Bangladesh’ and the notion of pan-Islamism and their ideological  underpinnings\, which the author has outlined in his paper.\nThe China factor needs to be further explored.\nA 2004 survey indicates that there has been a  34 per cent increase in the number of madrassas in the border regions of West  Bengal. Why is this necessary when public schools are available in these  regions? The author can shed further light on the increase of madrassas.\nThe paper must also factor in the possibility  of Sheikh Hasina’s exit. Need to explore how it could change the political and\,  more importantly\, the security landscape with respect to terrorism.\nThe paper must examine the kind of support JMB  is receiving from Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI)\,  and how Bangladeshi terror outfits are part of their larger game plan.\nThe author need to further substantiate the  observations and arguments made in the paper. For example\, the alleged relationship  between Jama’at and TMC\, and how it is weakening the secular forces within  Bangladesh. Perhaps\, the section on the relationship between JMB and TMC need  to be moderated. \nThe demographic factor may also be considered  when discussing the recruitment pattern of the JMB.\n\nReport  prepared by Ms. Charisma M.S Kundan\, Research Intern\, IDSA
URL:https://idsa.in/idsa-event/expanding-footprint-of-bangladeshi-terror-network-in-india
CATEGORIES:FELLOW'S SEMINAR,EVENT REPORT
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://idsa.in/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/no_photo-200x150-2.jpg
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR