Home >> South Asia >> India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nepal  Email  Print Something fishy in Bangladesh Vinod Mehta - 2/20/2010 Neighbors of Bangladesh are now supposed to feel terribly disturbed when its senior intelligence officials are making confessional statements with Criminal Investigation Department (CID] during investigation into the huge recovery of arms and explosives in the country, few years back. It was though predicted by Indian intelligence and media that, those consignments were secretly imported by Bangladeshi intelligence for supplying to separatist groups inside India; Bangladesh government never endorsed such fact.
But, now, former senior official of National Security Intelligence (NSI) in Bangladesh, Major General (Rtd) Rezzakul Haider in a confessional statement said that, such consignments were imported under direct supervision of various intelligence agencies in Bangladesh, as per government’s directives.
Additionally, one of the main accused in this huge arms haul, Hafizur Rahman made a confessional statement with the Court of Metropolitan Magistrate in Dhaka and told that, former chief of intelligence wing of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), Colonel Gulzar Hussain (who was killed inside the Bangladesh Riffles Headquarters during a mutiny on February 25, 2009), threatened him of killing in ‘cross-fire’ or injecting HIV virus inside his body, if Hafizur Rahman ever tried to disclose the fact of involvement of military intelligence and other intelligence agencies in Bangladesh, behind this arms haul.
Even in recent past, Bangladeshi media as well a section of politicians were trying project Colonel Gulzar as a ‘hero’. Especially after he was killed in the mutiny, Bangladeshi media were aggressively praising his past activities. I am sure, many of them were not aware of such dirty affiliations of this army officer with state-patronized terrorism. No doubt, after the latest confessional statement of the main accused in the arms haul, Colonel Gulzar has already turned into a notorious anti-Indian villain.
Two of the statements are possibly good enough for anyone to assess the gravity of threat Bangladesh poses to the region by patronizing terrorism and by providing arms and explosives for terrorist activities inside its neighbor’s lands.
It is truly a luck for India that now a government led by Sheikh Hasina Wajed is in power in Dhaka, which has already shown very sincere attitude in behaving like a good neighbor thus refraining from any anti-Indian activities inside Bangladesh.
Sheikh Hasina surely deserves highest admiration for handing over ULFA leader Arvinda Rajkhowa and several others to Indian government after Bangladeshi law enforcing agencies arrested them in the country couple of months back. Bangladesh should now immediately handover some other ULFA leaders, such as Anup Chetia, Laxmi Prashad and Babul Sharma, who are inside Bangladesh prison for more than a decade.
Bangladeshi high commissioner in New Delhi has given assurance to Indian authorities of immediately handing over those ULFA figures to India. But, while making such pledge, the Bangladeshi High Commissioner Mr. Tariq Karim unnecessarily raised an issue stating that some of the notorious Bangladeshi terrorists are also sheltered inside India. Such claim by Bangladeshi envoy is completely baseless and this would only contribute in disrupting the growing relations between the two nations, which started right after the general election in 2009.
There is no room to doubt the sincerity of Sheikh Hasina and her government in showing an appreciable attitude towards India by cooperating with Indian government and law enforcing agencies in eliminating any minimum existence of any anti-Indian separatists or terrorists to operate from Bangladesh. But, while Indian government might be feeling delighted at such ‘win-win’ situation, it should also consider one very important point that, Awami League will end its present tenure in 2014, when the country will have to go for another election. India under any circumstance should not be ready to accept departure of Sheikh Hasina’s government from power. Because, if Awami League loses the election, anti-Indian forces like, Bangladeshi Nationalist Party (BNP) and its allies will be in power. And no doubt, BNP’s agenda is already exposed to be truly against the interest of sovereignty of India. It may be mentioned here that, BNP was in power, when the mentioned huge arms and explosive haul was captured, while being trafficked to ULFA separatists.
Critics may try to justify saying in democracy, no one can place any particular person or party in power if the process is through election of the people of that country. Bangladesh, unfortunately is under heavy influence of anti-Indian notion since its creation in 1971. A significant section of mass media and politicians utter anti-Indian slogans to comfort the mass people. Under such adverse situation, how a pro-Indian Awami League can win another election in 2014? The reply is very simple though. Mostly in third world countries, election results are never dependant on votes from the so-called popular masses. Such practice is almost regular in many of the nations. This time, for the sake of independence and sovereignty of India, re-election of Sheikh Hasina Wajed’s party is of highest priority.
Many may rise question stating, if BNP is anti-Indian party, why it confiscated the huge consignment of arms and explosives instead of handing it over to separatist groups in India. Answer to this question is very simple! Though Bangladesh was administrated by mostly anti-Indian forces; there are still some influential officials both inside civil and military administration as well law enforcing agencies, which are not in favor of BNP’s anti-India agenda. It is greatly anticipated that, those officers played important role in unearthing the huge arms haul and immediately bringing the matter to the attention of Bangladeshi and international media, which rather compelled BNP government in immediately pretending to be happy over such huge arms and explosive recovery. Bangladesh’s largest media group named Daily Star-Prothom Alo extended fullest support to such initiatives of those Bangladeshi officials, by giving huge exposure to the arms and explosive recovery case. Indians should surely remain grateful to those Bangladeshi officials and Daily Star-Prothom Alo group for such gesture of true neighborhood and friendly attitude. For the sake of ensuring sovereignty, independence and security of India, all such friendly forces should be taken into positive considerations and all out cooperation should be continuously extended to them by big players in New Delhi.
Indian government should exert all out cooperation and influences in ensuring to keep Awami League in power till the agenda of cleansing all sorts of anti-Indian elements inside Bangladesh. India cannot afford to just hope for several more terms of Awami League government, but should do everything in ensuring such victory.
Sheikh Hasina Wajed has emerged as one of the greatest friends of India. She and her party surely deserve our support.
During this ‘win-win’ situation for New Delhi, we need to raise the issue of sending back those Bangladeshis, especially Bangladeshi Hindus, who were forced to migrate to India under continuous repression on them by previous governments and some influential anti-Indian social elites. These migrated Bangladeshis are a huge headache for India. New Delhi needs to keep this issue in mind and it needs immediate resolution.
There are also allegations of Pakistani intelligence agency ISI using Bangladeshi land in smuggling out huge amount of forged Indian currencies for years. According to Indian intelligence agencies, Pakistani government is directly involved in making counterfeit Indian Rupees and spreading those in various parts of India with the ulterior motive of jeopardizing Indian economy. Recently a Pakistani national was arrested from Dhaka’s Mouchak market area along with his gang and his Bangladeshi wife, who was one of the kingpins of such forged money racket. Now that person is under the custody of Indian intelligence agencies for further interrogation. According to scoops leaked by Indian intelligence sources, this Pakistani national has elaborated the total network of Pakistani ISI in spreading counterfeit Indian currency. On the basis of such confessional statements, India should bring this issue to international community for such state-patronized crime of Pakistan.
The arms haul incident gives a strong signal to India about Bangladeshi intelligence and its army’s one and only mission of doing subversive activities against India. Should an economically disadvantageous nation like Bangladesh needs any army or military intelligence at all only to conspire against its big neighbor? Some Bangladeshis would try to justify the existence of Bangladesh Army and its military intelligence as ‘key-tool’ in safeguarding country’s independence and sovereignty. Surely, they want to mean that, Bangladesh needs its army and military intelligence to oppose India and conspire against it. But, if Sheikh Hasina can truly put her fullest trust upon India, then she should fully understand that India is not any threat to Bangladesh’s independence or sovereignty. Rather Bangladesh’s independence itself is a grand gift from India. Understanding such huge gesture of India, Sheikh Hasina should immediately dismantled Bangladesh’s military intelligence and cut the size of its armed forces to a very nominal level. This will benefit Sheikh Hasina in several ways. First of all, it will save the huge annual expenditure of few hundred million dollars. Secondly, it will stop the doors for any possible military intervention in future. And thirdly, it will give highest comfort to Indian policymakers to consider Bangladesh as the most dependable regional allies.
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (father of Sheikh Hasina Wajed) definitely realized these facts, and he already initiated similar policy by creating a para-military forced for internal security, while his next plan was to gradually cut the size of Bangladesh armed forces to the most nominal level.
While Sheikh Hasina Wajed is very firmly continuing her efforts in strengthening bilateral relations with India, it is well anticipated that, anti-Indian and pro-Pakistani forces inside Bangladesh will continue to conspire against her as they did against Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. India needs to take up the security issue of Sheikh Hasina Wajed and other family members of Bangabandhu with top most priority. Intelligence information on possible threat on Sheikh Hasina Wajed should be regularly conveyed to Bangladesh government with suggestions of overcoming such challenges. In case of necessity, India should be ready to send it forces in defense of Sheikh Hasina Wajed, as they did to save Maldives’President Mamoon Abdul Gaiyyum.
To conclude, I should mention here a very recent incident in Dhaka, where an unidentified person sent telephonic threat to Sheikh Hasina Wajed and a ruling party lawmaker named Barrister Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh (nephew of Sheikh Hasina Wajed). Bangladeshi authorities have served notice on City Cell, (a private cell-phone operator, which is jointly owned by Singapore Telecom and a leader of Bangladesh Nationalist Party) for keeping their unregistered RIM card (CDMA service system) in circulation. Bangladeshi intelligence agencies were reportedly trying to trace the sender of this threat message. But, during today’s advanced technology, even a novice can trace such users of RIM or SIM card even if the cards are thrown away or no more in use.
For this, they need to first of all check names of those people, who might be having the personal cell phone number of the Bangladeshi Prime Minister. It is quite understood that any commoner will never have such number. Prime Minister’s cell phone number could only be available with her relatives, personal staffs, senior leaders of her party, her cabinet colleagues and of course, a few officials in country’s intelligence agencies and civil bureaucracy.
Bangladeshi intelligence agencies then need to find out the DNA number of the respective mobile phone set, wherefrom the RIM card was used. Every mobile phone set has its unique DNA or serial number, which can be identified by pressing *#06#. The investigators now need to see the DNA or serial number of the set, which was used in sending threat to the Prime Minister and ruling party lawmaker. Cell phone operating company (City Cell) will be able to provide this number. Then, first of all, the investigators can search for identifying the name and whereabouts of the holder of the set. Otherwise, they can also check, other RIM cards used with the same set. This simple process will surely open the door for Bangladeshi intelligence in reaching the culprit. For this entire process, they don’t need week or month. Just a couple of days would be good enough in the entire process. But, it was already reported in the Bangladeshi media that, the intelligence agencies were ‘still trying to trace the culprit’. It seems to be fishy to me!
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