Huge ULFA investments in Bangla

R Dutta Choudhury

GUWAHATI, Feb 9 – A substantial portion of the money extorted by the militant groups in Assam is being invested in Bangladesh, but it is difficult to trace out the same because the money is invested under false names, highly placed police sources said. Talking to The Assam Tribune, sources said that among the militant groups of Assam, the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) is believed to have the highest investments in the neighbouring country. Sources said that according to information available, the leaders of the outfit living in Bangladesh managed to invest huge amounts of money mainly in the hospitality sector, including hotels as well as in other sectors like shipping and other industries.

Sources said that according to information available with the security forces, the top leaders of the ULFA are still in Bangladesh, but they relocate from time to time. As per a conservative estimate, at least 170 members of the ULFA are in the camps and hideouts in the neighbouring country and in some cases, they also shared camps with other militant groups of North East. “It is very easy for anyone to get the support even from Government officials in an underdeveloped country and other groups by providing them money. The militants of North East are doing just that. It is believed that the ULFA is receiving help from the DGFi, the intelligence agency of Bangladesh, but we do not have enough evidence to determine whether the agency as a whole is helping the militants or whether only a few officials are providing help,” sources admitted.

Similarly, the ousted chairman of the National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB) Ranjan Daimary is still in Bangladesh and he has at least 130 cadres with him. Sources said that the division in the ranks of the NDFB following the ouster of Ranjan by the general assembly of the outfit would be helpful for the security forces as “now we know which of the members of the outfit are in favour of talks and which are not. Any member of the outfit found to be outside the designated camps will now be treated as supporters of the ousted chief of the outfit.” Sources also pointed out that in recent times several members of the outfit have been arrested by the police when they were found outside the designated camps in violation of the ground rules of the cease-fire agreement.

Though the Government of India is hopeful of the new Government in Bangladesh taking action against the militants taking shelter in the neighbouring country, police sources said that the actions of the Awami League Government should be viewed closely before arriving at a conclusions. It is a fact that the Awami League has always been closer to India, but the new Government in Bangladesh must act to prove its willingness to help out India as was done by the Government of Bhutan. During the previous tenure of the Awami League Government, the ULFA changed its headquarter from Bangladesh to Bhutan, but police sources said that it might have been a tactical move by the militant group. During that time only the ULFA general secretary Anup Cheita was arrested in Bangladesh, but he was not handed over to India, while the other top leaders of the ULFA continued to stay in Bangladesh, sources pointed out. Sources also revealed that in the last five years the militants had a free run in Bangladesh, which created serious problems for the North East states.

Sources further said that the presence of jehadi elements in Bangladesh is also posing a serious threat to India, particularly to the North East as such groups have started directly helping the militant groups of Assam. There have been instances when jehadi elements also trained up members of Assam based militant groups and reportedly sent their own personnel to help the local groups to carry out acts of violence, sources added.