LeT and Jaish Forge Radical Alliance in Bangladesh, Targeting Indian Youth Through University Networks

 Top intelligence sources have revealed to CNN-News18 that Pakistan-based terror outfits Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed have established a growing operational nexus with radical Islamist groups in Bangladesh, significantly expanding their footprint in South Asia. This development marks a strategic shift toward ideological infiltration and recruitment of Indian youth through academic institutions and religious networks.

A New Front: Radicalisation Through Campus Influence

According to intelligence inputs, Bangladesh-based extremist groups are now facilitating LeT and Jaish’s access to local universities—an alarming development that opens a new vector for cross-border radicalisation. Indian students enrolled in Bangladeshi institutions have become specific targets through a network of Islamist student organisations and madrasa-linked circles.

Central to this radical pipeline is the student wing of Jamaat-e-Islami, Islami Chhatra Shibir, which collaborates with LeT operatives to infiltrate university campuses. These networks provide access to hostels, Islamic study circles, and religious gatherings—ideal forums for ideological indoctrination and recruitment. Since the reinstatement of Jamaat-e-Islami’s legal status by Bangladesh’s interim government post-2024, access to academic institutions for radical groups has significantly expanded.

Strategic Use of Propaganda and Religious Messaging

A speech delivered on May 28 by Saifullah Kasuri, also known as Khalid, in Kasur (Lahore), has gained widespread traction among extremist circles. In the viral video, Kasuri references Bengal’s division in ideological terms, fuelling secessionist narratives and historical grievances. This speech is reportedly being used by recruiters to galvanize support and promote jihadist ideology among youth.

Madrasas linked to HuJI-B (Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami Bangladesh) and JMB (Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh)—both LeT affiliates—operate near major campuses, particularly in Dhaka and Chittagong. These institutions impart a Wahhabi-Salafi worldview, framing religious education as a duty in the service of jihad. Funding for these radical centers often originates from UK-based fronts and Gulf NGOs, disguised as charitable donations for Islamic heritage preservation or disaster relief.

Messaging, Manipulation, and Mobilisation

Indian students, especially those from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, are reportedly lured into radical circles through scholarships, flood-relief assistance, and mentoring programs. Following the 2024 floods, Jamaat-linked aid distributions were accompanied by extremist literature. So-called "senior mentors" then guide these students into ideological transformation under the guise of cultural preservation, enforcing visual markers like conservative attire to deepen group loyalty.

Encrypted platforms such as Telegram and Signal are used to circulate propaganda—including videos glorifying militants killed in Kashmir and footage of attacks in India. These materials are often framed to depict Indian Muslims as victims of state oppression, invoking issues such as the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and past communal violence, including the 2023 temple vandalism incidents.

Bangladesh as a Radical Transit Corridor

Security agencies believe Bangladesh is increasingly serving as a transit hub for Indian radicals being routed to LeT camps in Pakistan via Nepal or Myanmar, often under the pretense of educational or religious tours. Once trained, these recruits are deployed across northeastern Indian states, particularly Assam and Nagaland, where around 40 active sleeper cells are reportedly operational.

The 2025 Pahalgam terror attack is believed to have involved a LeT operative who met with a Bangladeshi official prior to the assault—further raising concerns about state complicity or negligence.

Shifting Political Winds Empower Extremism

The interim government of Bangladesh, established post-2024 elections, has been accused of making ideological concessions to hardline Islamist groups. Key appointments—including that of the Hizb-ut-Tahrir founder as Home Secretary—have emboldened networks such as the Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT), who now operate with relative impunity on campuses.

Government concessions to Hefazat-e-Islam, such as compulsory Islamic curricula and gender segregation in universities, have further normalized extremist narratives within the mainstream education system.

Funding Channels and Cross-Border Threats

Intelligence assessments indicate that lax oversight of NGOs and informal financial networks—such as hundi remittances and money laundering, which remain key contributors to Bangladesh’s GDP—are being exploited by LeT and its affiliates. Foreign donations from the Gulf, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait are funneled through fronts posing as Islamic charities or student welfare organisations.

These financial mechanisms enable sustained recruitment, indoctrination, and logistical operations across borders. The strategic use of religious philanthropy as a cover for terror financing poses a complex challenge for regional security frameworks.

Regional Implications

Beyond the direct security threats posed by radicalised operatives returning to India, the spillover of anti-minority violence from Bangladesh—where over 2,200 incidents targeting Hindus were reported in 2024—has inflamed communal tensions in India. This in turn fuels the radical recruitment cycle, aiding in LeT and Jaish’s narrative of defending persecuted Muslims.

As cross-border ideological networks gain traction and institutional channels remain compromised, security agencies face an increasingly sophisticated radical ecosystem. Coordinated efforts between India and regional allies are now essential to stem the tide of transnational jihadism.