Dhaka, February 1 – With Bangladesh’s general elections scheduled for February 12, concerns over potential violent incidents have intensified. A recent report has revealed that terrorists affiliated with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LET) have entered Bangladesh from Pakistan.
According to the report, at least four LET operatives were aboard Bangladesh Biman Airlines flight BG-342, which flew directly from Karachi to Dhaka earlier this week. This flight marked one of the first direct services resumed between the two countries after a long pause.
The resumption of direct flights between Bangladesh and Pakistan had sparked considerable controversy. Investigative journalist Sahidul Hasan Khokon has alleged the presence of LET terrorists on the flight and criticised the current government’s handling of the security situation.
On Saturday, Khokon posted on the social media platform X that flight BG-342 departed from Jinnah International Airport in Karachi and landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka on January 30 at 4:20 am, carrying 113 passengers. He claimed that some of these passengers were identified as LET operatives based on their travel documents, which listed their names and alleged affiliations.
Khokon stated that such incidents point to serious lapses in security, either through negligence or deliberate inaction by the government. He also accused the Yunus administration of facilitating terrorist infiltration and maintaining an Islamist approach that aligns with Pakistan’s interests.
Bangladeshi media outlet The Daily Republic reported that these allegations surfaced shortly after the government reinstated direct flights between Dhaka and Karachi after nearly 14 years. The decision reportedly followed undisclosed agreements with Pakistani officials, which critics say included controversial concessions such as special visa privileges for Pakistani government, military, and intelligence personnel, relaxed inspection protocols for Pakistani ships at Bangladeshi ports, and eased scrutiny of bilateral transactions.
These developments have raised alarm that commercial flights might be exploited as covers for terrorist activities. Lashkar-e-Taiba is a United Nations-designated terrorist organisation, responsible for the 2008 Mumbai attacks and many other violent incidents, with substantial backing from Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
The Daily Republic further noted that experts see the alleged increase in LET’s presence in Bangladesh as part of a broader rise in extremist activities under the current government. In October 2025, Ibtisam Ilahi Zaheer, a close associate of LET founder Hafiz Saeed and General Secretary of Pakistan’s central Jamaat Ahle Hadith, undertook a multi-week visit to Bangladesh.
During his visit, Zaheer reportedly toured sensitive border districts including Chapainawabganj, Nachole, Rangpur, Lalmonirhat, Nilphamari, Joypurhat, and Rajshahi. He delivered speeches advocating for ‘sacrifices for Islam’, unity against ‘secular and liberal forces’, and the integration of Kashmir into Pakistan. He also engaged with local extremist groups and figures such as Asadullah Al Galib.
This was Zaheer’s second visit since the Yunus government assumed power, the first being in February 2025. Security analysts warn that such religious outreach efforts may serve as fronts to rebuild LET’s cross-border networks, recruit in vulnerable border areas, and potentially plan operations targeting India’s eastern border and northeastern states.
Critics have accused the Yunus government of growing ties with Pakistan’s intelligence agencies, weakening domestic security systems, granting exemptions in cargo inspections, and reducing visa screening rigor. These factors, they argue, have transformed Bangladesh into an “easy transit corridor” for jihadi groups.
The warnings emphasise that extremism and terrorist networks are being allowed to establish deeper roots in the country, posing a significant threat to national security.
Leave a Comment