Investigations into the twin blasts in Hyderabad have revealed that the attacks were masterminded by the Bangladesh-based terror outfit, the Harkat-ul jihad al-Islami (HUJI).  Several of those arrested so far have close links with HUJI; many had gone to Bangladesh for training. The explosives used in the attack came from Bangladesh. What is more, key suspects wanted for their role in the blasts turned to Bangladesh for sanctuary. The prime suspect, Abu Hamza, who is HUJI’s second-in-command, is said to have been arrested in Bangladesh four days after the blast. The Bangladesh connection in terror attacks in India is not new. Anti-India militants active in the northeast are known to carry out attacks in the country and then flee to bases in Bangladesh. Anti-India militants have training camps in Bangladesh and several ULFA and Bodo leaders have been provided sanctuary in that country. Outfits like HUJI have carried out several attacks in other parts of India in recent years, especially in South India. Intelligence agencies have been pointing out for some time now that with Pakistan’s role in fuelling anti-India terrorism coming under the international spotlight, the ISI has been encouraging Bangladesh-based terror outfits to carry out attacks in India. The investigations into the blasts in Hyderabad a fortnight ago confirm fears that Bangladesh is emerging as the new epicentre for anti-India terrorist groups.

In contrast to the Bangladesh Nationalist Party-led government, which simply denied the presence of anti-India militant camps in the country, the present interim government has been sympathetic to India’s security concerns. Efforts are on to put in place a joint mechanism to address the problem of terrorism. India will be looking to Dhaka for co-operation in nabbing terror suspects. While Dhaka has sent out a positive signal by nabbing Hamza, India is hoping that Bangladeshi authorities will hand him over to India even though there is no extradition treaty between the two countries.

Growing fundamentalism and terrorism are problems that India and Bangladesh share. Successive regimes in Bangladesh have refrained from cracking down on religious fundamentalism, believing this to be a useful card to play in their dealings with India. Bangladesh needs to wake up to the fact that addressing fundamentalism and dismantling the terror network on its soil is essential not only because these pose a threat to India’s security but also because these undermine Bangladesh’s secular democratic culture.