New Delhi: Bangladesh is witnessing a sharp rise in the criminal ecosystem where violence and extortion have become a new normal. During the 2024 unrest, which led to the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government, violence engulfed the country.
While the security agencies in Bangladesh were busy controlling the mobs, a silent rise of a massive criminal ecosystem took place. Police stations and outposts in Dhaka were heavily looted by criminals, part of major gangs. The gang members indulged in looting SMGs, LMGs, pistols, shotguns and Chinese rifles. These weapons were transported to the Geneva Camp and Pallabi Bihari Camp. These camps have now turned into major hubs for the underworld.
Intelligence agencies report that those part of these gangs have been indulging in a drug trade, loot and extortion. Many teenage gangs within these groups are indulging in large-scale drug deals and extortion, the agencies have learnt.
Officials say that these gangs are not new. They were always present, but were kept under check by the previous dispensation under Hasina. However, post the August 5, 2024, fall of the Hasina government, these gangs resurfaced and today, owing to proper scrutiny, they have been thriving in Dhaka, an official said.
Another official said that the worry is that these gangs are operating openly, and there are no checks on them. There is some amount of political patronage that these gangs enjoy, but the fact is that the security mechanism in Dhaka is too stressed to deal with this problem. There are other issues that the security agencies are dealing with. The nation is gearing up for a very important election, and the entire mechanism is trying to ensure that the process goes off smoothly. These gangs are also thriving without much scrutiny, as they operate in densely populated areas within the Bihari camps.
Indian agencies say that the thriving of such gangs is not just a worry for the security mechanism in Bangladesh, but poses a threat to India’s national security as well. These gangs, apart from indulging in drug trade and extortion, have also set up permanent bomb making facilities at Sectors 4 and 7 of the Geneva Camp.
There are massive structures that have come up where these bomb making units have been set up. The Bangladesh authorities call these secret kitchens to manufacture bombs. Officials in New Delhi say that these secret kitchens pose a major threat to security. These are gangs and have no ideological inclination like the terror groups in Bangladesh have.
Agencies such as the ISI will look to exploit the capabilities of these gangs. These gangs would prepare bombs in large numbers for a good amount of money. The ISI would look to procure these explosives and then pass them on to terror groups operating on Bangladeshi soil.
Pakistan, since the fall of the Hasina government, has had very ambitious plans in Bangladesh, with the sole intention of hitting India. It has been sending ISI and army officials to Dhaka to hold talks with terror group leaders. The ISI wants the terror groups in Bangladesh and Pakistan to work together. The ISI has even sent top leaders of the Lashkar-e-Taiba to Bangladesh to train and coordinate with terror groups such as the Harkat-ul-Jihadi Islami (HuJI) and Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JuMB).
It also has plans of sending Lashkar-e-Taiba chief Hafiz Saeed to Bangladesh soon. The police in Bangladesh are trying to crack down on these gangs, but have not been too successful. Many allege that these gangs enjoy political patronage. This raises concerns as the elections in Bangladesh are around the corner.
For India, a steady and peaceful Bangladesh is crucial. India is looking to reset ties with Dhaka, and for this to happen, a peaceful and fair election is necessary. New Delhi worries that there could be violence during the polls scheduled for February. Many politicians would look to exploit these gangs in return for protection during the elections.
Officials say that given the quantity of weapons these gangs have and the network they have built up, there is every chance some vested interests would use them to disrupt the elections in Bangladesh.
