Bangladeshi human rights activist and journalist Shahriar Kabir has said India is turning into a safe haven for militant groups, especially Jamaat-e-Islami.
Kabir was speaking at a seminar on international terrorism organised by the Forum for Secular Bangladesh and Trail of the War Criminals in Dhaka.
The speakers expressed concern about the recent militancy activities by Jamaat-e-Islami in India with reference to the bomb blast in Burdwan district in West Bengal during Durga Puja on October 2.
Two suspected militants were killed and one sustained injuries during the explosion at the house of a leader of West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) party.
"The most alarming news that appears to us that now India has become a safe haven for the Islamic militancy and the home ground for Islamic militancy like Indian Mujahideen; they have also joined hands with Jamaat-e-Islami of Bangladesh and Pakistan. It is alarming not only for the national security of Bangladesh but also for the regional security of South Asia," said Kabir.
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The speakers urged that government of India and Bangladesh should take strict actions to prevent such militancy activities in both the nations and they also rooted for a task force to be made along with other regional countries of South Asia.
The TMC leadership had blamed the federal government for the Burdwan blast saying the intrusion of members of extremist groups into the state led to the incident.
However, Kabir alleged the regional TMC leaders have made liaisons with the extremist groups and militants in large numbers are conspiring against Bangladesh sitting in India.
"Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen or JMB, the militant organisations and they went to India when the government has started all-out crackdown on the militancy, Jamaat-e-Islami in particular and now they have chosen West Bengal as a safe haven since the Trinamool government, the West Bengal government, they have made some understandings with the Jamaat-e-Islami of India and West Bengal. So that is quite alarming," added Kabir.
Two women were arrested in connection with the Burdwan explosion on October 05. The police are probing the possible involvement of militant outfits like Lashkar-e-Toiba and Harkat-ul Jihad al-Islami in the blast. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is probing the case.
A large number of watch dials, SIM cards, and other tools required to make improvised explosive devices were found in the house where blast took place during Durga Puja.
Meanwhile, the speakers said the militant organisations of Bangladesh expanded their activities as they got monetary support from Sardha group of India.
Saradha, an unlicensed fund run by media conglomerate Saradha Group, was busted in 2013, wiping out as much as USD 3.7 billion in deposits from mostly low-income Indians, miring government of West Bengal in scandal, and illustrating the risks faced by the millions who live outside the banking system.
The investment scam, Saradha chit-fund, is India's third biggest scam after multi billion 2G and coal scams.
