Dhaka: Bangladeshi Islamic radical and the chief of the Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT), an al-Qaida-affiliated terrorist in Bangladesh, Jashimuddin Rahmani Hafi has made provocative remarks against India.
Jashimuddin Rahmani, released by the interim government following Awami League chief and Prime Minsiter Sheikh Hasina’s departure and Al-Qaida in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), which the Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) is affiliated with, is a banned organisation in India.
In the video, Rahmani called on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to “liberate Bengal from Modi’s rule and declare its independence,” and he threatened to “break up” India while raising “Islamist flags in Delhi.”
The video, believed to have been filmed in early September in a hospital ward, references recent political upheavals in Bangladesh and was authenticated by a Dhaka-based fact-checker.
Rahmani, who had served a five-year prison term for the murder of a blogger, was released on parole in August after a military-backed interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus assumed power. His radical views are well-known, including his support for terrorist organizations and separatist movements.
In his incendiary address, Rahmani warned India against any aggressive actions towards Bangladesh, emphasizing that Bangladesh, with its population of 180 million Muslims, would not tolerate provocation. He also made veiled threats of enlisting China to cut off India’s northeastern states by blocking the Siliguri corridor, a critical passageway connecting these states to the rest of India.
Rahmani’s comments come at a sensitive time for West Bengal, which is already grappling with public outrage over a recent high-profile case of violence against a trainee doctor in Kolkata. The ABT chief also touched upon various separatist movements in India, including the Khalistani movement in Punjab and terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, suggesting efforts to destabilize the country.
The video concludes with Rahmani issuing threats of severe retaliation if Bangladesh is challenged, and he reaffirmed his support for al-Qaida and its affiliate, al-Qaida in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS). Rahmani also criticized India’s association with former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, urging India to distance itself from her.
This latest outburst from Rahmani highlights ongoing tensions in the region and raises concerns about potential escalations in the relationship between Bangladesh and India.
