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In an appeal to UN Secretary-General Guterres, Momen has called for intervention into what he describes as a deteriorating political and security situation in Bangladesh
Bangladesh has strong reasons to deepen relations with Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan. (AFP)
Former Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dr. A.K. Abdul Momen has urged the United Nations to intervene in Bangladesh, warning of an escalating threat from radicalisation, jihadi extremism and weapons proliferation in the country.
In an official appeal addressed to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Momen has called for international intervention into what he describes as a deteriorating political and security situation in Bangladesh.
The former foreign minister has specifically raised concerns over the proliferation of jihadi extremism, radicalisation and weapons in rural Bangladesh following recent political transitions.
Momen has also sought a UN audit into alleged human rights violations, custodial deaths and severe overcrowding in Bangladeshi prisons, including a claim that around 400,000 detainees are being held without bail or formal charges. These figures and allegations require independent verification.
BIG SECURITY ALERT FOR INDIA?
Top intelligence sources tracking developments in the region have flagged a potential security spillover into India if instability and radicalisation continue to deepen in Bangladesh.
The concern is particularly significant because of Bangladesh’s proximity to India’s strategically sensitive Siliguri Corridor, popularly known as the Chicken’s Neck.
Security agencies fear that any prolonged instability could create gaps that hostile external actors may attempt to exploit.
Another major concern is the alleged proliferation of weapons following the looting of armouries.
Intelligence assessments cited by sources suggest that smuggled or looted weapons could potentially enter India’s grey arms market, raising the risk of weapons reaching insurgent groups in the Northeast or organised criminal networks.
JIHADI NETWORKS UNDER THE LENS
Indian security agencies are also closely monitoring the activities of Bangladesh-based extremist networks.
Among the groups of concern are Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), its splinter Neo-JMB, and Ansarullah Bangla Team, also known as Ansar al-Islam.
Sources say these networks have used both online and offline radicalisation mechanisms, creating concerns about possible spillover into border districts of India.
The fear is not limited to terrorism alone.
Security agencies are also examining whether radicalisation networks could contribute to communal tensions and disruption of social harmony in vulnerable areas.
MINORITY SAFETY ADDS TO INDIA’S CONCERN
The reported rise in extremist activity in Bangladesh has another direct bearing on India.
Concerns over attacks and intimidation targeting Hindus, Buddhists and Christians in Bangladesh have added to apprehensions within Indian security circles that extremist narratives could travel across the border and aggravate communal tensions.
Security agencies are also examining alleged links between domestic extremist outfits and broader transnational jihadist networks, including groups associated with Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) and ISIS.
WHY INDIA IS WATCHING CLOSELY
For New Delhi, the issue goes beyond Bangladesh’s internal political crisis. A combination of political instability, radicalisation, weapons proliferation, extremist networking and porous border vulnerabilities could potentially create a wider security challenge for India.
The biggest concern is the possibility of a convergence between jihadi networks, illegal arms trafficking, organised crime and hostile external actors.
That is why developments inside Bangladesh are being watched closely across India’s security establishment.
The key question now: Could Bangladesh’s radicalisation crisis spill across the border and create a new security challenge for India?
Quick Answers
Ask News18Bangladesh’s instability and deepening radicalisation could lead to a security spillover into India. This situation poses a threat to India’s strategically sensitive Siliguri Corridor, also known as the Chicken’s Neck. Additionally, weapons proliferation, extremist networking, and porous borders could create broader security challenges. Apprehensions also exist that extremist narratives and communal tensions could cross the border due to attacks targeting minorities in Bangladesh.
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Group Editor, Investigations and Security Affairs, Network18
September 02, 2026, 1:49 PM IST
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