As Bangladesh is heading towards holding a free, fair, credible election in full-festivity, where major segments of the voters are expected to cast their votes without any fear or obstruction, Tarique Rahman, a convicted terrorist from his self-exile in the United Kingdom during a recent phone call urged Paresh Baruah, a convicted terrorist on run and elder of a separatist group named United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) to take “revenge” on Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and leaders of ruling Awami League for “destroying” ULFA and dismantling its “strategic bases” in Bangladesh.
According to analysts, BNP was forced to boycott the forthcoming election at the instruction of Tarique Rahman, who told several senior leaders of the party that he has been given assurance by Biden administration of either forcing Sheikh Hasina in holding the next election under caretaker government and in case such demands are not met, Washington would “by force topple-down” Awami League government.
It is also learnt from a number of credible sources that Tarique Rahman now is facing silent criticism from his own party leaders for “pushing the party towards uncertainty” by boycotting the next general election.
Seeking anonymity, a senior leader of BNP said, “There are other reasons behind Tarique Rahman’s decision of boycotting the election as BNP was repeatedly given assurance by Jatiya Party (JP) to-leadership, including GM Quader of either following BNP’s decision of boycotting the election or abruptly withdraw nomination papers on the last day of withdrawal”.
The leader further said, “Tarique Rahman is still hopeful of getting promised cooperation from Jatiya Party, as Mujibul Huq Chunnu [Jatiya Party’s Secretary General] is a former BNP man. Moreover, GM Quader has also given repeated promise to Americans and Westerners of no more remaining as a tail of Awami League”.
It said, even after submitting nomination papers, JP leadership are maintaining regular contact with Tarique Rahman or senior leaders of BNP.
Meanwhile, according to a highly-placed foreign intelligence source, last week BNP’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman had phone conversation with ULFA leader Paresh Baruah, who was located somewhere in Noseri area under Muzaffarabad district in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The source said, Paresh Baruah has been living in Pakistan for years, whereas he occasionally visits various areas in PoK.
The source said, telephonic conversation between Tarique Rahman and ULFA leader Paresh Baruah took place around 1 pm London time. Tarique and Baruah spoke for more than 19 minutes where Paresh Baruah used a ‘Ufone’ number and they spoke over Telegram apps.
It may be mentioned here that, back in 2014 National Investigation Agency (NIA), a central government security agency in India in a report said, ULFA kingpin Paresh Baruah was gunrunning for Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI).
According to the report, on October 15, 2014, several leaders of BNP and JeI met two members of ULFA at Madhutilla Eco Park under Nalitabari Police Station is Sherpur district in Bangladesh. During this secret meeting, BNP-JeI leader made a deal with ULFA for buying small weapons.
Another report claimed, ULFA’s Paresh Baruah was using Bangladesh soil for smuggling weapon to India and Nepal.
Earlier it was reported in Blitz that at the instructions from Tarique Rahman, Bangladesh Nationalist Party has established contact with Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) with the target of buying dozens of remote-controlled high-power explosives with the notorious target of disrupting the election through series of terrorist acts.
According to a credible source based in Manila, at the directives of Tarique Rahman, on November 8, 2023, a senior leader of Bangladesh Nationalist Party contacted a TTP kingpin over Telegram apps and requested remote-controlled explosives for “unseating the un-Islamic government” in Bangladesh.
It is further learnt that the consignment of remote-controlled explosives may reach Bangladesh via Bangladesh-Myanmar border with active collaboration of Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA).
The source further said, instead of sending remote-controlled explosives, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan may send one of its bomb experts to Bangladesh and as per arrangement, this bomb-maker would enter Bangladesh under the guise of tourist via Nepal. It may be mentioned here that while Al Qaeda succeeded in establishing hidden bases within mountainous areas in Nepal, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan also succeeded in establishing is minor footprint in the country. Such groups of TTP comprise 5-7 members. These Nepal-based TTP groups are mainly looking after financial matters, while it also is alleged that TTP is generating fund through participating in transnational drug trafficking rackets by forming affiliations with Afghan drug-lords as well as narco-cartels in South America.
According to source, on getting remote-controlled explosives, Bangladesh Nationalist Party shall start targeting election campaign rallies, residences of the candidates, offices of Awami League and its alliance partners, including Jatiya Party as well as the Election Commission, which may begin immediately after the Victory Day of Bangladesh.
