Visits by ULFA, other militant commanders noticed in Bangladesh: Assam CM

Guwahati, Jan 22: Amid strained relations between India and Bangladesh, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, on Thursday, flagged serious security concerns for the State, citing inputs about the movement of senior leaders of banned militant outfits in the neighbouring country.

Speaking to the press on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, Sarma said intelligence agencies had detected the presence of top commanders of the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) and other militant groups in Bangladesh.

“Recently, certain visits have taken place involving top commanders of ULFA and some other small militant groups that are not under ceasefire. Their presence has been noticed on the soil of Bangladesh,” Sarma said.

Referring to the period when the Awami League was in power in Bangladesh, Sarma said the cooperation extended by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had played a crucial role in curbing militancy and restoring peace in Assam and the Northeast.

“We have been able to tame ULFA and militancy in Assam because of the help we received from the then Bangladesh regime. Assam and the Northeast would not have been peaceful without Sheikh Hasina. That is the reality,” he said.

The Chief Minister cautioned that any surge in hostility towards India following political changes in Bangladesh could pose a serious security challenge for the region, particularly if militant groups were allowed to regroup or set up bases there.

“If there is a regime change in Bangladesh and hostility towards India increases, there is a real threat of militants building bases there,” Sarma said, underlining that India shares an over 800-km-long international border with Bangladesh along Assam.

“That makes the threat very serious. We are closely monitoring developments to see whether militants are shifting their bases to Bangladesh,” he added.

In recent weeks, Sarma has also been vocal about the situation of minorities in Bangladesh and allegations of atrocities against them.

On January 13, he had said that developments across the border were already having an impact on Assam, particularly in districts adjoining Bangladesh.

He had noted that the Centre had taken cognisance of the situation and that Assam had been placed on high alert, with security vigilance stepped up in sensitive border areas to prevent any spillover.

The Chief Minister further said that the Assam government would formally urge the Union government to take appropriate diplomatic and administrative measures to ensure the safety and security of the Hindu community in Bangladesh.

While foreign relations fall under the Centre’s jurisdiction, Sarma said State governments have a responsibility to raise concerns when humanitarian issues threaten regional stability.