Introduction: Bangla Minister: Gen Gave Funds
To Outfit For Terrorism In India
Bangladesh local government minister Syed
Ashraful Islam has said Islamabad used his country for terrorism in India
and that former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf had met Ulfa founder Anup
Chetia at a Dhaka hotel in July 2002 during the previous BNP-Jamaat regime.
He said Chetia was brought out of prison for the clandestine meeting.
Islam's statement in Dhaka on Friday came
three days before Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's threeday visit
to India. "The BNP-led alliance was responsible for the deterioration
of relations between India and Bangladesh. Not only did Musharraf meet Chetia,
the Bangladesh government at that time allowed many Mujahideen leaders-involved
in the Afghan war-to facilitate the activities of terror groups in India,''
he said. He added that 10 truckloads of weapons and 15 million rounds of ammunition
seized in Chittagong and Bogra were meant for terror and separatist groups
operating in India.
The minister said some of those involved in
the Parliament attack had crossed over from Bangladesh. "No wonder, India
wasn't too keen to have good relations with Bangladesh,'' Islam said. "There
is bound to be a change of attitude after Sheikh Hasina visits India.''
Islam's statement appeared in leading Bangladesh
dailies. Sources in Bangladesh said Pervez Musharraf also met Ulfa leader
Arabindo Rajkhowa and gave money to the outfit for terror activities. A section
of the previous regime also received money from Musharraf for facilitating
their activities and showed the nexus between the ISI and the Ulfa.
Chetia, secretary general of Ulfa, is at present
detained in a Bangladesh jail since his arrest in 1998. He was convicted for
travelling with fake documents and jailed for four years. But he has not been
handed over to India because of the absence of an extradition treaty. An NGO
headed by the wife of a minister in the Zia regime campaigned for his stay.
Hasina and her Awami League are trying to
open a new chapter in relations with India, which had soured during the BNP-led
alliance government in Dhaka. Hasina has maintained that she would not allow
Bangladesh to be used for anti-Indian activity.