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New Delhi: In a highly provocative statement, Hasnat Abdullah, a leader of Bangladesh's National Citizen Party (NCP), issued a warning to India, saying Dhaka could potentially provide sanctuary to forces hostile to India, including separatist groups. He highlighted the aim of severing India’s northeastern states, colloquially known as the “seven sisters.”
Abdullah’s inflammatory remarks were delivered during a public address at Dhaka’s Central Shaheed Minar on Monday. "We will shelter separatist and anti-India forces, and then we will sever the seven sisters from India," Abdullah said, receiving loud cheers from segments of the audience.
7 sisters share land border with Bangladesh
The "seven sisters" comprise the Indian states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Tripura. A fresh geopolitical concern arises from the fact that four of these states, Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Mizoram, share a direct land border with Bangladesh, amplifying the strategic sensitivity of Abdullah's statement.
Bangladesh was used as transit point in past
India has historically accused various militant and separatist organisations operating in its Northeast region of utilising Bangladesh as a haven. These organisations reportedly used Bangladesh as a transit point and a base for logistical support, particularly during the late 1990s and early 2000s. During that period, numerous insurgent outfits originating from Assam and Tripura reportedly maintained camps, safe houses, and support networks across the border.
Specifically in the context of Tripura, Indian security agencies have repeatedly linked separatist groups such as the National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) and the All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF) to camps and operatives situated in Bangladesh. It was alleged that cadres of these groups would cross into Bangladesh following attacks to evade Indian security forces, with training and arms procurement reportedly taking place on Bangladeshi soil.
Abdullah calls BEC spineless
In addition to his anti-India remarks, Hasnat Abdullah also appeared to target the Bangladesh Election Commission, labelling it “spineless.” He reportedly criticised the poll body for its response to an attack on electoral candidate Osman Hadi, which the commission had characterised as an "isolated incident."
