Bangladesh Disorder Puts India At Risk With Terrorist Groups, Illegal Immigrants Sensing Opportunity: Intel Note | Exclusive

Last Updated:March 07, 2025, 19:28 IST

Another serious concern is the involvement of these people in drug trafficking, especially methamphetamine into the north-eastern states, said the sources

BSF personnel patrol the border with Bangladesh near the Fulbari Border post, some 20 km from Siliguri. (File photo/PTI)

The fragile situation in Bangladesh is allowing terror groups to operate freely, and there is a fear that they can enter India to carry out attacks, an intelligence note accessed by CNN-News18 on Bangladeshi and Rohingya illegal immigrants says.

The influx of immigrants has posed serious socio-economic and political security concerns for India, it says.

The note says illegal immigration is happening from West Bengal, where infiltrators use unmanned stretches. The Bengal route is used by both Bangladeshis and Rohingyas, and touts are available on both sides.

Also, north-eastern states have rivers, forests, and hills to facilitate immigration, it says. Interconnected fake document agents are working in all states to help them with ID cards

Indian passports are available for different price ranges from Rs 10,000 to Rs 2 lakh, it says.

Bangladeshi nationals enter India and go to the states where ready-made garment factories, construction, and gold ornament industries are offering good daily wages, says the note.

According to top intelligence sources, after illegal entry, these people come in touch with agents who help them with fake documents, and they move to a third place of their choice. They fly abroad also by using Indian passports.

“Rohingyas also enter illegally and, as a first step, they procure the UNHCR refugee cards and move to Hyderabad or Jammu, where they have Rohingya camps," said a source. “These Rohingya also procure Indian fake identities and get employment in garbage or meat processing units and construction. Rohingyas and Bangladeshis are found to be involved in human trafficking, especially of Rohingya women who are sold for marriage or flesh trade."

Another serious concern is the involvement of these people in drug trafficking, especially methamphetamine (YaBa) into the north-eastern states, said the sources.

“These groups make their settlements and come into contact with foreign agencies, NGOs, and Muslim groups. These groups first do their funding, and later some are used for different purposes, including spying.

Due to illegal immigrants, the demography of different places has changed, and this is a major socio-economic and political challenge," said a source. “The political challenge is emerging because these illegal immigrants have fake documents to vote, and agencies fear a major shift in political selection."

Sometimes, terrorists too have entered India in the garb of illegal immigrants, the sources said.

“These terrorists are from ABT and JMB, and they contact sleeper cells in India for their rehabilitation, where they work for them, initially in small crimes and later some big terror activity. Recently, ABT cadres have been arrested from Kolkata, Hyderabad, Gulbarga, Pune, and Mumbai," a source said. “Around 17 Bangladeshi nationals associated with ABT and 15 with JMB have been arrested."

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