Terror in neighbourhood: Mamata could find her Bangladesh trip to be a difficult one

Kolkata: The Bangladesh government has invited Mamata Banerjee as guest of honour at Bangla Bhasha Divas on 21 February. While this is a good move at improving bilateral ties from Bangaldesh’s perspective, it might leave the West Bengal Chief Minister facing some uncomfortable questions, particularly on the terror front.

A series of terror-related incidents - from the Burdwan blast to unearthing of Bangladeshi terror-modules in West Bengal to the latest arrest of Rezaul Karim, another accused in the Burdwan blast case – in recent times has created the impression that the state has become a safe haven for terrorists from the neighbouring state. The media in Bangladesh and the political establishment have been raising the issue for sometime now. Mamata is likely to be confronted with questions which she might find difficult to answer.

“We’re happy that Mamataji has been invited to Bangladesh to attend Bangla Bhasha Divas. But before making the trip, she has to come clean on the allegation against her party’s MP Ahmed Hasan Imran who has links with terror outfit Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB),” said Sidharth Nath Singh, BJP’s national secretary and in-charge, West Bengal. He alleged that money was sent from West Bengal to support terror activities in Bangladesh, which has caused a major embarrassment to the Centre.

Besides, the Indian press, the Bangladesh newspapers have written about the alleged involvement of Hasan Imran with JMB, how Bangladeshi terrorists enjoyed a safe hideout at Khagragarh in West Bengal’s Burdwan district, and how they allegedly hatched plans to have terror attacks on the neighbouring country.

“Under Mamata Banerjee, West Bengal has become a terror hub due to the failure of law and order. Indian intelligence agencies have found evidence of Rs 75 crore changing hands between the TMC leaders and the JMB; and one of the Burdwan blast accused, who died in that blast himself, transferred money 18 times to Bangladesh in two years,” Singh told Firstpost. “If Pakistan harbours terrorists operating in India, can we have good ties with that country? Similar is the case with Bangladesh. Before proceeding for Bangladesh, the Bengal CM should explain whether her party’s MP has links with JMB and whether money was sent to Bangladesh to carry out terror activities.”

Referring to Bangladesh newspapers, Singh claimed that besides Indian intelligence, the Bangladeshi newspapers had written citing Bangladesh intelligence reports pointing fingers at TMC MP’s alleged links with JMB and 2005 Bangladesh serial blast master mind Shaukat Ali, and also siphoning of money to the terror outfit.

The accidental bomb blast at Khagragarh in Burdwan on 2 October, 2014 in which two suspected members of JMB got killed, revealed that the Bangladeshi extremist organizations had been operating on Bengal soil.

It’s not just the BJP, but Mamata’s bête-noire – the CPI (M) - too has levelled similar charges against her.

“Mamata Banerjee won the election by harbouring these extremists and eventually Bengal has turned into a terror hub. She has given shelter to Bangladesh-based terrorist organizations and for this she has to answer to Bangladesh government when she visits there,” a CPI (M) leader said.