NEW DELHI, Sept 26 � Taken aback by reports of ULFA commander-in-chief, Paresh Barua amassing hugeproperties in Bangladesh, the intelligence agencies of the country have launched a probe to ascertain the source of the story, even as the media reports threaten to blow into a major controversy in the neighbouring country.
According to reports in the media, the country�s National Security Intelligence (NSI) and other intelligence agencies are now trying to locate the �kitchen� where the story of ULFA�s investment in business ventures were cooked, where names of some leading business conglomerates were incorporated as recipients of ULFA investment.
The NSI in fact issued a statement saying that �When National Security Intelligence is continuing to uphold the national interest of Bangladesh by strengthening the professional skills within the organisation, publishing a report by the local newspapers and news sites, quoting an unknown foreign news source, without verification, goes against the national interest and is a heinous attempt. �The report is totally imaginary and is created to serve interest of any vested interest group. Publication of such report, quoting an important intelligence agency of the country, without verifying the content of the news catered by an unknown foreign news source is part of international conspiracy, which can create instability in Bangladesh.�
The ULFA has already denied the reports, which were in circulation since last one week, even as a leading news agency carried a story detailing Barua�s assets and business ventures, quoting intelligence sources. �The entire news content about ULFA�s investment in Bangladesh was cooked in the most immature hands. This will become clear if someone will look into the names of the Bangladeshi business conglomerates, which have been labelled as recipients of ULFA money, as well as the amounts mentioned in the report, quoting so-called top-secret report prepared by the security agencies�, a leading media critic has commented.
Two large business conglomerates of Bangladesh were named as recipients of ULFA fund. Bashundhara Group and Jamuna Group are the multi-billion dollar business conglomerates in Bangladesh, who are in business since 1981. �Bangladeshi media claimed that both the houses are business rivals of another conglomerate, which owns two daily newspapers. For years, these newspapers have been continuing media offensives on Jamuna Group and lately Bashundhara Group, though Jamuna Group�s vernacular daily newspaper lately started countering the very aggressive media offensives of the newspapers owned by the Group.
One of the editors of the rival media ventures is allegedly connected to Islamist terrorism, while another is branded as a conspirator, if the reports are to be believed. Old rivalries have come out in the open, as one media group pointed at another as the possible suspect.�The critic has stated that it won�t be difficult at all for NSI to locate the culprit as well as the kitchen, where this so-called intelligence report was cooked. Most importantly, this propaganda was created at such a time, when Bangladeshi Prime Minister was in United States attending the General Assembly of the United Nations.
