Former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Khaleda Zia's son Tariq Rehman is said to be involved in smuggling of arms. These arms being sent to United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) insurgents were confiscated. According to the Bangladesh Government agency BSS, Hafizur Rehman (involved in the biggest arms smuggling racket of Bangladesh so far, in 2004) has admitted before a court that he had met ULFA leader Paresh Barua along with Tariq on 1 April 2004 at Hawa Bhawan, the office of Khaleda Zia's party Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).
Corruption and Criminal Charges
The Daily Star, a daily published from Dhaka, wrote in its 8 February edition that on 2 April 2004, Hafizur Rehman admitted the involvement of some officials of National Security Intelligence (NSI), Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI), and Chatgaon Urea Fertilizer Company Limited (CUFCL) in the attempt to smuggle 10 truckloads of arms. At that time, Khaleda Zia's BNP and Jamat coalition was in power. In his interrogation Hafizur Rehman said that Paresh Barua left him outside and went inside Hawa Bhawan to meet Tariq. Tariq is currently the vice chairman of BNP and is embroiled in corruption and criminal charges. He is in London these days for treatment.
Amid allegations of hiding facts by Khaleda Zia government, the previous government supported by the Army had ordered reinvestigation into the Chatgaon arms case two years ago. After the reinvestigation, several high-ranking intelligence officers were arrested, including two former Army officers.
The Accused
According to the Daily Star, two former director generals of NSI, Major General Razakul Hyder Chaudhary and Brigadier General Mohammed Abdur Rahim (both retired), were arrested by Bangladesh CID in connection with the Chatgaon arms case. The others accused were former Director (Defense), Wing Commander (retired) Sahabuddin Ahmed, former Deputy Director (Technology) Major (retired) Liaqat Hussein, NSI Field Officer Akbar Hussein, former CUFCL Managing Director Mohsin Talukdar, and General Manager (Administration) Iqramul Haq.
The other side of Tariq Rehman's story is that during the BNP rule, he was not only the most powerful politician, but also the contact person of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) for operating anti-India activities. This means that the nexus between infamous DGFI, NSI, ISI, and ULFA would have continued if Tariq Rehman's story had not emerged.
Hasina's India Visit
During Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's recent visit to New Delhi, she promised that she would not allow her country's soil to be used against India. This gives strength to the hope that people like Tariq Rehman and Paresh Barua would not be able to run their campaign against India from Bangladesh, but for how long?
What happens when BNP comes to power again? This means that despite the honest intentions of Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh would continue to be a headache for India.
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