GUWAHATI, Aug 21 - The Government of India is keenly observing the political situation in Bangladesh as a change of Government in the neighbouring country can lead to serious security problem for India, particularly in the North East states and West Bengal. However, as apprehended before, no footprint of jehadi group has yet been noticed in Assam after the publication of the draft of the National Register of Citizens (NRC).
Highly placed security sources told The Assam Tribune that if the present Awami League Government headed by Sheikh Hasina remains in power in Bangladesh, it would be beneficial for India not only from the security point of view but also from other aspects as the Government of the neighbouring country has been maintaining close ties with India. But a change of Government in Bangladesh may lead to serious problems, particularly in the states having international border including Assam. It may be mentioned here that elections in Bangladesh is due after October but the dates of the same are yet to be announced.
Sources pointed out that the present Government has been acting tough not only against the anti-India forces but also against radical and jehadi elements and such tough actions have been beneficial for India. The militant groups of North East suffered severe setbacks because of the tough stand by the Government of Bangladesh and leaders of several militant outfits, who were using the territory of Bangladesh as safe haven, were apprehended and handed over to India. According to inputs available with the security agencies, at present, only a handful of militant leaders of the North East based militant outfits including senior United Liberation Front of Asom (Independent) leader Drishti Rajkhowa are in Bangladesh. But there is no organized structure of any militant outfit in Bangladesh at present.
The Government of Bangladesh is also taking tough action against the jehadi elements including the Jamaat-ul Mujahideen, Bangladesh (JMB) and the Neo JMB, which had links with Islamic State (IS) and got them on the run. The outfits like the JMB and the Neo JMB were not allowed any breathing space by the Government of Bangladesh, which is of immense help to India. There were every possibility of such outfits spreading bases to India by taking advantage of the porous international border, but so far, the Government of Bangladesh has kept them on the run, sources pointed out.
Security sources also admitted that with cordial relations between the two countries, the security agencies of both India and Bangladesh are regularly sharing inputs about movement and activities of the insurgent and jehadi elements, which is helpful to both the countries.
But if the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), which is always backed by fundamentalist groups, come to power, the situation may change over night as radical elements are likely to get upper hand. In the past also, whenever the BNP was in power, not only the radical elements but also the militant outfits of the North East had a free run in Bangladesh and in case of a change in Government in the neighbouring country, the security scenario in North East and West Bengal may change for the worse.
