Terrorist group JMB preparing for fidayeen attack during elections in Bangladesh

An Intelligence report sent to Ministry of Home Affairs has revealed that Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) held a secret meeting to discuss carrying out attacks during the Bangladesh general elections. During the meeting, the terror outfit discussed plans to buy weapons and suicidal vests with the help of other terrorist groups in Bangladesh.

As per the report, it was decided during the meeting of the JMB to recruit 300 more new cadres before the general election in Bangladesh. The group is also trying to conduct two-week training in Chittagong district with plan to establish 50 new training centres in various districts of Bangladesh.

Bangladesh is slated to hold the country's 11th national election in the third week of December this year as the term of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's ruling Awami League (AL) party comes to an end in January 2019.

Speaking to Zee News on condition of anonymity, a Home Ministry official said that the issue was of serious concern to India as well.

“This is of serious concern to India, not only because of JMB’s cross-border presence but also due to its linkage with other terrorist group in Bangladesh. Recent NIA report also suggests that JMB is trying to build base in India,” he said.

The JMB, meaning ‘Assembly of Holy Warriors’, is a Bangladesh-based terror outfit formed in 1998 with an intention to establish an Islamic state in Bangladesh based on Sharia. The NIA had arrested a top leader of the JMB, Mohammad Jahidul Islam, from Bengaluru last month. He was wanted in the Burdwan Blast case in India and in several terror cases in Bangladesh.

On October 2, 2014, a blast had occurred in a house in West Bengal's Burdwan district, killing a man identified as one Sakil Gazi. The NIA in its investigation revealed that the JMB members wanted to establish Sharia rule by overthrowing the democratically elected government in Bangladesh.

“Some terror camp has been set up by JMB and other terrorist groups along Bangladesh and West Bengal border of India. This is really cause of concern for us. There is report of presence of Pakistani origin Lashker terrorists in these camps,” a senior security official said.

The JMB is using bordering area not only for hideout but also for recruitment. Recruitment is done through madrasas, mosques and the network is especially active in Murshidabad, Malda and Nadia districts of West Bengal and parts of Muslim-majority districts in Assam.