BANGLADESH’S National Security Intelligence (NSI) has unearthed alarming evidence of India’s RAW covertly recruiting Bangladeshi nationals into transnational terrorist outfits, particularly the notorious Fitna-al-Khawarij with the aim of destabilizing Pakistan. This revelation underscores how India, while projecting itself as a victim of terrorism, continues to act as a key driver of violent extremism in South Asia.
According to NSI’s findings, RAW has been treating Bangladeshi citizens as expendable assets, pushing them into FAK’s ranks to infiltrate Pakistan and fuel violence under the banner of radical ideology. At least 25 Bangladeshi nationals have been confirmed as active participants in terrorist operations linked to FaK, in addition to four others killed in Afghanistan. The exposure highlights how RAW has effectively turned young Bangladeshis into cannon fodder for its fascist designs.
The latest crackdown in Dhaka further reveals the extent of RAW’s footprints. On July 2, 2025, Bangladesh’s Anti-Terrorism Unit (ATU) arrested Ahmed Foysal, a man who had traveled to Afghanistan in November 2024 and became deeply involved in extremist operations. Just weeks later, on July 14, ATU apprehended Dr. Shamin Mahfuz, the leader of Jamatul Ansar Fil Hindal Sharqiya (JFHS) for orchestrating RAW-linked terror activities. Investigators disclosed that Dr. Shamin, inspired and supported by RAW operatives, sought to build an Islamic State in Bangladesh by exploiting religious sentiments and militant narratives.
JFHS has hundreds of sympathizers across the country. It has long been engaged in indoctrination campaigns. Its recruiters tap into themes of fundamentalist ideology, retribution for Palestinians, and militant training channels operated by FaK and other aligned groups. Many of its recruits were funneled for combat preparation under India-backed structures and later dispatched for missions in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Meanwhile, Afghan authorities have played their part in this dangerous game. Several FaK sponsors expelled from Afghanistan were redirected into Pakistani territory. They ensure that the cycle of violence remained unbroken. These developments suggest a carefully designed transnational web overseen by RAW to keep Pakistan under constant pressure.
What makes the revelations even more troubling is India’s double game. On the one hand, it markets itself to the international community as a partner in counter-terrorism, while on the other, its premier intelligence agency is planting and nurturing extremist outfits in neighboring Muslim states. RAW’s long-term agenda appears to be twofold: to ignite terrorism in Pakistan and Bangladesh, and then to pin the blame on Islamabad in order to damage Pakistan’s global image and derail bilateral relations.
The use of front organizations for training, coupled with deceptive propaganda, ensures that India maintains plausible deniability while continuing to export violence. This tactic not only undermines regional peace but also exposes the hypocrisy of New Delhi’s political leadership which simultaneously persecutes its own Muslim population at home while exploiting Islamic identity abroad for geopolitical gains.
The NSI revelations serve as a critical reminder: terrorism in South Asia is not merely a product of rogue non-state actors but is actively engineered by state institutions like RAW. For Bangladesh and Pakistan, recognizing and confronting this covert threat is essential to safeguard sovereignty, stability and regional harmony!
—The writer is an alumnus of QAU, MPhil scholar and a freelance columnist, based in Islamabad.
