Just three weeks after his release from prison, Muhammad Jasimuddin Rahmani, a radical Islamist leader from Bangladesh, has sparked controversy by calling for the secession of Jammu and Kashmir from the Union of India. Rahmani, who leads the banned extremist group Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT), has also sought support from Pakistan and Afghanistan-based militants to further his agenda.
A report published by The Print on Saturday (September 7) revealed Rahmani’s inflammatory statements, which were made in a video that has since gone viral on social media platforms, including YouTube. The video appears to have been recorded in a hospital room, where Rahmani was seen making a series of provocative remarks.
Call for secession and support from radical elements
In the video, Rahmani declared, “I am warning India… Bangladesh is not like Sikkim or Bhutan. It is a country of 18 crore Muslims… If you take a step towards Bangladesh, we will tell China to close the chicken’s neck.” The term “chicken’s neck” refers to the Siliguri Corridor, a narrow stretch of land that connects mainland India to its northeastern states.
He continued, “We will tell the Seven Sisters (Northeast India) to join the freedom movement… Tell Kashmir to get ready for freedom. Pakistan and Afghanistan together will help Kashmir gain independence. We will work for the freedom of Kashmir.”
Rahmani’s statements were seen as an attempt to incite separatism in various regions of India, particularly Jammu and Kashmir. He also urged radicals in Pakistan and Afghanistan to join his cause, drawing concerns from Indian security agencies.
Appeal to West Bengal Chief Minister for independence
In a surprising move, Rahmani made a direct appeal to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, urging her to “free Bengal from Modi’s rule and declare independence.” He claimed that he would support any efforts toward secession, with the help of Khalistani elements who have long demanded the creation of a separate state of Khalistan in Punjab.
Rahmani expressed solidarity with Khalistani extremists, stating, “I will tell the Sikhs that your time has come, now call for freedom; to those Sikhs who are Khalistanis, in every province of India, your time has come.”
Threat to capture Delhi
Drawing parallels to recent political events in Bangladesh, Rahmani expressed hope to capture Delhi, inspired by the undemocratic ouster of Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. “If we are challenged, if we are neglected, if chaos is created in our country, then the Tawhid population of Bangladesh, just like it has risen against Hasina, to protect the freedom of Bangladesh, to protect Islam in Bangladesh, the Tawhid will unite to face you in the field,” he declared.
He ominously added, “The day is not far when your country too will be broken, and the flags of the Tawhid will flutter above Delhi.”
Background of Muhammad Jasimuddin Rahmani
Muhammad Jasimuddin Rahmani, the chief of Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT), has a long history of involvement in extremist activities. Rahmani was arrested on August 12, 2013, in Barguna, Bangladesh, along with 30 members of the ABT, on charges of inciting violence. Since his arrest in 2013, Rahmani remained in jail, facing six criminal cases, for which police had filed charge sheets against him.
On December 31, 2015, Rahmani was sentenced to five years in prison by a Dhaka court in connection with the murder of blogger Rajib Haider, a case that drew international attention to the activities of ABT. The group, known for its radical Islamic ideology and ties to Al Qaeda, was banned by the Government of Bangladesh in May 2015.
Rahmani has completed his sentence in the Rajib Haider murder case. However, he is still facing trials in five other cases, filed at different police stations in Bangladesh, including Mohammadpur, Gulshan, Barguna Sadar, and Uttara Paschim. Despite the severity of the charges, he was granted bail in two cases by the Anti-Terrorism Special Tribunal of Dhaka in 2020 and 2022, and in three more cases in 2022, 2023, and January 2024.
Ansarullah Bangla team’s history of violence
The Ansarullah Bangla Team came into the spotlight after the murder of Rajib Haider in February 2013. The group has been implicated in the murders of at least four bloggers and writers. In 2016, members of the ABT were involved in the brutal killings of LGBT rights activist Xulhaz Mannan and his friend Khandoker Mahbub Rabbi Tonoy in Dhaka.
The group has consistently targeted individuals and groups that it perceives as enemies of Islam, following a radical agenda aimed at establishing an Islamic state. Rahmani’s recent remarks underscore the persistent threat posed by the ABT and its affiliates, not only within Bangladesh but also in the wider South Asian region.
India’s response to the incendiary remarks
Indian authorities have not yet officially responded to Rahmani’s remarks, but security agencies are closely monitoring the situation, given the potential implications for national security. Rahmani’s call for secession and his outreach to regional radicals have raised alarms, particularly at a time when India is dealing with increased cross-border tensions and threats from various extremist groups.
