NIA DG holds key talks with WB Police Chief on rising terror threats from Bangladesh

National Investigation Agency (NIA) Director General Sudhanshu Dutta met with West Bengal Police Chief Rajeev Kumar to address the growing security challenges in the state related to banned Islamic terrorist organizations. The primary focus of the discussion was the increased activities of groups such as Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), Ansarullla Bangla Team, and Hizb-ut-Tahrir, which have longstanding connections with Bangladesh and have reportedly intensified their operations in recent months. These organizations are active not only in Bangladesh but have also been linked to sleeper cells operating within India, particularly in West Bengal.

According to reports, several senior leaders of these banned groups have recently been released from prison in Bangladesh, which has raised concerns among Indian security agencies. These leaders are suspected of facilitating the reactivation of sleeper cells of Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen and Al-Qaeda’s Bangladesh branch, Qaidat-ul-Jihad, which have been operating in India for years. Intelligence agencies have been monitoring the activities of these sleeper cells, which are believed to be involved in recruitment, planning, and logistics support for terrorist activities within the region.

The meeting also touched upon the issue of infiltration across the Bengal-Bangladesh border. Following the political changes in Bangladesh, there have been reports of militants and weapons crossing the border into India, a development that has raised alarm within Indian security agencies. The authorities are particularly concerned about the possibility of increased cross-border terrorism due to the destabilized situation in Bangladesh, which has reportedly led to a rise in illegal border crossings.

Additionally, the need for improved coordination and intelligence-sharing between state and central agencies was emphasized during the meeting. Both officials agreed that effective collaboration between West Bengal Police, NIA, and other law enforcement agencies is crucial in countering the threat posed by these terror groups. Surveillance and border security measures are being enhanced to detect and prevent infiltration. The NIA has been working to strengthen its intelligence network, focusing on preventing any potential attacks and monitoring the activities of terror networks in the region.