On 10 November, Indian media outlets began circulating a claim that the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), a Pakistan-based militant outfit, is contemplating the use of Bangladeshi territory to conduct attacks in India. This unsubstantiated claim has emerged against the backdrop of the recent vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED) attack near the historic Red Fort in the Indian capital of Delhi, which killed at least 13 people and injuring more than 20. The Indian government has designated it as a ‘terror incident’, and Indian security and law enforcement agencies have already apprehended at least nine Indian citizens on suspicion of involvement in the attack. While India is yet to officially blame any state or non-state actor for the attack, Indian media outlets have already claimed that either the LeT or the Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) – another Pakistan-based militant organization – is involved in the attack.
From an objective point of view, the LeT and the JeM pose considerable security risks to India, illustrated by their involvement in numerous attacks inside India in the 21st century. The LeT and its proxies have taken responsibility for several high-profile attacks on Indian territory, including the 2001 Indian Parliament attack, the 2005 Delhi bombings, the 2008 Mumbai attacks, the 2010 Pune bombing, and the 2025 Pahalgam attack. Similarly, the JeM has claimed responsibility for the 2001 Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly bombing, and is suspected of conducting the 2016 Uri attack and the 2019 Pulwama attack. India views the LeT and the JeM as Pakistani proxies, and attacks by these two outfits inside India have ignited conflicts between India and Pakistan on at least four occasions (2001–2002, 2016–2018, 2019, and 2025).
The conflict between India, on the one hand, and the LeT and the JeM, on the other, is intertwined with Indian treatment of its Muslim minorities, the protracted insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir, and the Indo–Pakistani strategic competition. Meanwhile, the LeT and the JeM have been designated ‘terrorist organizations’ by the United Nations (UN), the United States (US), the United Kingdom (UK), the European Union (EU), Russia, Canada, Australia, India, and Pakistan itself. In accordance with the stipulations of the UN, Bangladesh has also designated the two outfits as ‘terrorist organizations’. Otherwise, Bangladesh has nothing to do with India’s conflict with the LeT and the JeM.
First of all, it should be noted that all governments of Bangladesh, irrespective of their party-political orientation, have pursued a policy of ‘zero tolerance’ against terrorism, and actively sought to neutralize Islamist, Marxist/Maoist, and ethno-nationalist militant outfits through legislative, law enforcement, and political methods. The Jatiya Sangsad, the Bangladeshi parliament, has adopted the Anti-Terrorism Act in 2009; the Bangladesh Police, the Directorate-General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI), and the National Security Intelligence (NSI) maintain specialized counter-terrorism units; and Bangladesh’s principal political parties are expressly opposed to terrorism. Also, Bangladesh sent condolences to India over the loss of life in recent attacks, including the Red Fort VBIED attack.
In fact, Bangladesh ranked 35th on the 2025 Global Terrorism Index, while Pakistan and India ranked 2nd and 14th, respectively. Moreover, on the index, Bangladesh is ahead of states with far more power and resources, such as Russia, Germany, and the US. This demonstrates Bangladesh’s overall success in dealing with terrorism, and so, the country is comparatively safer than India in this regard. Hence, it is inappropriate for Indian media outlets to portray Bangladesh as some sort of ‘terrorist haven.’
Second, Indian media outlets have specifically claimed that the LeT is expanding eastwards through infiltration into Bangladesh, and the only source they have provided to back up the claim is a statement in a video, attributed to LeT commander Saifullah Saif. According to The Times of India and The Economic Times, Saif reportedly claimed in the video that the LeT operatives are “already active” in Bangladesh. However, this does not actually prove anything. It should be remembered that militant groups often tend to exaggerate their strength and influence as a part of their psychological warfare strategy. Hence, without any concrete evidence, the statements of an obscure LeT commander cannot be accepted at its face value.
Third, citing unnamed sources, Indian media outlets have claimed that Hafiz Muhammad Said, the Amir of the LeT, has sent an associate to Bangladesh to radicalize the youth and train them for ‘terrorist’ activities. Journalistic ethics demands that anonymous sources should only be used as a last resort, and certainly not as the only basis of a claim. However, since August 2024, Indian media outlets have routinely and deliberately used anonymous sources to portray Bangladesh in a negative light. Hence, any claim made by the Indian media based on anonymous sources should be taken with a grain of salt. If Indian media outlets indeed have any concrete information about LeT activities in Bangladesh, they should share these information with Bangladeshi authorities through proper channels so that Bangladesh can curtail such activities.
Finally, Indian media outlets are speculating that the Pakistani–Bangladeshi rapprochement would supposedly result in increased LeT influence in Bangladesh. This argument is inconsistent with the reality. While Bangladesh has sought to normalize its ties with Pakistan, this does not amount to a political or military alliance and is not directed against any other country, including India. Moreover, normalizing ties with Pakistan does not indicate the acceptance of militant groups, such as the LeT, on Bangladeshi territory. In fact, it is amusing to see that Indian media outlets are consistently trying to present Bangladesh as some sort of threat, while Indian politicians, analysts, and activists have openly advocated for the invasion of Bangladesh, clientelization of the country, annexation of its territory, and ethnic cleansing against its people.
On a final note, Indian media outlets should stop dragging Bangladesh into their confrontation with Pakistan, and if they have any concrete evidence of LeT activities in Bangladesh, they should formally approach Bangladeshi authorities to deal with the threat. Dhaka has repeatedly demonstrated that it is willing to cooperate with New Delhi on the basis of sovereign equality and good-neighbourly relations, and it would be prudent for India to reciprocate the gestures instead of waging constant information warfare.
