Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) chief Hafiz Saeed is reportedly working on opening a new front against India, using Bangladesh as a strategic launchpad for terror activities. This alarming development emerged from recent intelligence reports and a viral video showing a senior LeT commander, Saifullah Saif, openly declaring plans to attack India through Bangladesh. Saifullah’s speech at a rally in Pakistan revealed that Hafiz Saeed has dispatched close aides to Bangladesh, where they are allegedly radicalizing local youth and providing terrorist training in the name of jihad.

This shift to Bangladesh carries significant geopolitical implications. Historically referred to as “East Pakistan” by Pakistani extremists, Bangladeshs soil is being viewed as a potential base from where LeT operatives can stage attacks on India’s eastern borders. The claim of a growing nexus between Pakistan-based terror groups and local Islamist organizations in Bangladesh is raising considerable security concerns in New Delhi. Analysts note recent signs of Pakistan’s military and diplomatic engagement with Bangladesh, including visits by Pakistani military officials and the docking of a Pakistani naval ship at Chattogram port—moves that have intensified suspicion of a coordinated anti-India strategy involving Bangladesh.

The presence of figures such as Allama Ibtisam Elahi Zaheer, a close associate of Hafiz Saeed, is particularly worrisome. Zaheer was reported to have traveled to Bangladesh to mobilize Islamist groups, boosting efforts to radicalize local youth. This recruitment drive aims to exploit religious networks and madrasas to create a new corridor for jihadist activity. These efforts are seen as attempts to answer India’s previous counter-terror operations, especially following India’s “Operation Sindoor” and retaliatory strikes in Kashmir earlier this year.

The threat is compounded by disturbing footage from the rally showing indoctrination efforts targeting even minors, underscoring the deep-rooted nature of this terror strategy. Pakistani extremists are portrayed as seeking to exploit both ideological and geopolitical fault lines, with claims that shifting international alignments—including alleged American support and a warming of ties between Pakistan and Bangladesh—are facilitating this dangerous expansion.

Indian security agencies have reportedly heightened surveillance along the Bangladesh border as a precaution against potential infiltrations and terror plots stemming from this new operational front. The evolving dynamics stress the urgency for vigilant intelligence sharing and regional cooperation to counter cross-border terrorism threats aimed at destabilizing peace in South Asia.

This scenario highlights the broader challenge that Bangladesh faces amidst increasing religious radicalism and political shifts since the recent change in its leadership in 2024. For India, this emerging front requires a recalibrated security approach, blending diplomatic engagement with robust border security measures to mitigate risks posed by Lashkar-e-Taiba and allied terror networks exploiting Bangladesh as a proxy ground for launching attacks. The unfolding intelligence points to a sophisticated and multi-layered strategy by Hafiz Saeed’s network to leverage Bangladesh as a springboard for renewed aggression against India, demanding heightened vigilance and coordinated regional responses to forestall further terror escalation.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from swarajyamag.