"Every country can have its own idea of safeguarding itself .... Pakistan may have it own too. But making Bangladesh a battleground for its dummy war against India can never be justified," -- ran an article in 'StarWeekend Magazine' of Dhaka-based 'Daily Star' newspaper on March 22, 2009.
This was in reference to Pakistan providing funding and strategic assistance to ULFA of Assam for 'waging' war against India.
Those days Dubai-based ARY group of jewellery and other big-money businesses used to collaborate with Dhaka's DGFI and Pakistani's ISI for handling funds required in arms smuggling and other activities.
True, ULFA was hyper active against India and had business interests in Bangladesh and a few other countries; but it is a fact that around the same time Anthony Shimray was a chief arms and cash handler for NSCN-IM.
In fact those in the know of things claim today in 2025 that -- "the NSCN-IM had better contacts in the arms deal through its master operator Anthony Shimray". In fact, to substantiate these claims - oldies among experts say -- even Swedish writer Bertil Lintner had written in his articles and book 'Great Game East' that the NSCN-IM had a very credible agent in Hong Kong. Importantly, the agent remained 'unnamed' for long time.
Old analysts also say that though India had helped Bangladesh attain freedom from Pakistan; Islamabad operatives could quite fast able to generate support in Bangladesh and started influencing certain critical anti-India develoments.
The ULFA had good presence in Chittagong and by late 1990s and at a later stage -- Chittagong had emerged as a key port city where arm shipments could be received.
ULFA used that to expand their activities among other insurgent groups in Manipur and Nagaland.
The fact of the matter is ULFA had established such good strong nexus with radicals in Bangladesh and ISI of Pakistan that even Prime Minister in office (prior to 2001) - Sheikh Hasina - was not able to control the 'intelligence operatives' of her own government-run DGFI (Bangladeshi version of ISI).
However, it is true that after 1996 when Sheikh Hasina was in power -- ULFA leaders spread the word that "it was no longer a safe bet for us (them) to be in Bangladesh".
But in Oct 2021 when BNP led by Khaleeda Zia won the polls; many cadres from multiple militant organisations in the north east of India "could return" to Bangladesh.
Nevertheless the ULFA lost weapons by circumstances and due to bitter rivalry within the rank and file and a huge confinement from Hong Kong were lost. Around that time -- the loss of weapons by ULFA was somewhat like a "devastating" blow.
India under the Vajpayee government worked things in details. In Dec 2003, the Bhutanese army carried out joint operations with Indian forces against the ULFA camps in that country. On the other hand India started working on a focused approach against ULFA even in Bangladesh.
But it is also a fact of life that south-east region of Bangladesh especially with its fluid population from Myanmar had long turned into a haven for gunrunners and smugglers.
In subsequent period, Indian agencies were able to find that after 2001-2002 -- a newly floated organisation 'delivered arms' often after erasing original Chinese markings.
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| An old tank in Siliguri |
Bangladesh posed serious challenges to India in more ways than one.
Firstly, the emergence of Islam as a potent political force and the rise of BNP of Khaleeda Zia changed the game altogether.
The Jamaat ally helped anti-India forces further and hence the ISI was back in Bangladesh -- which was actually created with the help of India to fight Pakistan.
Analysts also say while Bangladesh was 'perhaps far' from becoming another Pakistan; the radical Islamic forces were certainly on the rise. Thus, Dhaka, Sylhet and the Chittagong Hill Tracts continued to provide shelters to ULFA and other northeast India's rebel outfits.
ends
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