India’s biggest enemy returns to Bangladesh! was given death sentence

India-Bangladesh Relations: The High Court of Bangladesh on Wednesday, December 18, acquitted former Home Minister Luftuzzaman Babar and five other accused convicted in the arms smuggling case against India. Babar, who was a minister in the BNP government, was awarded death sentence by the Chittagong Metropolitan Court in 2014. Babar’s lawyer claims that the allegations against him were motivated by political malice.

This case dates back to 2004, when Bangladesh Police had seized 10 trucks full of weapons. These weapons were to be sent to the Indian militant organization United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA).

Change in sentence of ULFA commander Paresh Barua
Bangladesh High Court has commuted the death sentence of ULFA commander Paresh Barua to life imprisonment. Paresh Baruah, who heads ULFA-I, a faction of ULFA, is still absconding, and his whereabouts are not known.

ULFA had signed a peace agreement with the Indian government in 2023, but Paresh Baruah did not become a part of this agreement. During the hearing of this case in November 2024, the process of revising the sentence of the accused was started.

In 2014, 14 culprits were given punishment in arms smuggling.
In 2014, a Bangladesh court had sentenced 14 people to death in an arms smuggling case. These convicts included former Jamaat-e-Islami chief Motiur Rehman Nizami, Luftuzzaman Babar, Paresh Barua, and other senior officials. Motiur Rahman was hanged for crimes against humanity in 2016.

Turmoil in India-Bangladesh relations
After Sheikh Hasina’s government was formed in 2009, Bangladesh took strict action against militant groups operating in the north-east of India. Recently, after the fall of Sheikh Hasina government, there have been signs of change in the political scenario of Bangladesh. India had long accused Bangladesh of supporting extremist groups in the North-East. Now, amidst the new circumstances, discussions are being held regarding possible tension in the relations between India and Bangladesh.

Also read: Amidst tension with India, this country increased the tension of Yunus government, captured the land of Bangladesh