The arrest of 20 out of 35 Bangladeshi nationals in Malaysia last month for alleged links to the Islamic State (ISIS) has raised serious concerns among Indian security agencies, particularly in eastern and northeastern states sharing borders with Bangladesh.
According to Indian intelligence sources, a classified communication from the Bangladesh embassy in Kuala Lumpur revealed that five of the detained individuals have been formally charged with terrorism-related offences, while the others are under active investigation by Malaysian authorities.
The suspects were apprehended during large-scale counter-terror operations led by Malaysia’s Defence Intelligence Organisation (MDIO) between April 24 and mid-June, targeting extremist cells in Selangor and Johor.
Active ISIS recruitment cell uncovered
Malaysian investigations revealed that the arrested individuals were not mere sympathisers, but active operatives of a recruitment cell linked to ISIS, involved in propagating extremist ideologies, fundraising, and planning regional destabilisation.
“The network had strategic goals targeting Malaysia and neighbouring countries, particularly India and Bangladesh,” an Indian intelligence officer based in Bangladesh stated.
Deportation and interrogation in Bangladesh
Three of the suspects—Nazrul Islam Sohag, Mohammad Redwanul Islam and Zahid Ahmed—have already been deported to Bangladesh. Sohag and Redwanul Islam arrived in Dhaka on Air Asia flight AK-71, while Zahid Ahmed returned separately on Batik Air flight OD-162. They were handed over to the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) Counter-Terrorism Intelligence Bureau (CT-IB) for immediate interrogation, before being transferred to the Airport Police.
Indian officials are closely monitoring these interrogations to identify any cross-border linkages with extremist elements operating in West Bengal, Assam, and Tripura.
Bangladesh downplays the threat
Despite the gravity of the situation, Bangladesh’s official response has been dismissive.
Lt. General (Retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, Adviser to the Bangladesh Home Ministry, claimed there were “no Bangladeshi terrorists in Malaysia”, suggesting that only three individuals were deported over visa-related violations.
He also asserted that “there is no extremism in Bangladesh now”, directly contradicting findings from Malaysian intelligence reports.
India reassesses border security
India’s eastern states, particularly West Bengal, Assam and Tripura, have begun a re-evaluation of intelligence and border monitoring, alarmed by the possibility of ISIS-linked recruitment efforts spilling over. These regions, with long and porous borders with Bangladesh, have historically been vulnerable to infiltration and radicalisation.
A senior Indian counter-terrorism official emphasised, “We’re not just worried about Bangladesh’s internal posture. If these groups can build networks in Malaysia, they can find support in India’s border states too.”
Malaysian authorities reinforced their zero-tolerance policy towards extremist activities, stating that no foreign terror networks would be allowed to operate on Malaysian soil.
The Malaysian Home Ministry (Kementerian Dalam Negeri) has since intensified its surveillance and counter-intelligence operations to root out similar extremist activities.
Given the history of transnational Islamist militancy across South and Southeast Asia, Indian intelligence agencies are treating this case as a potential early warning sign. They fear that regional extremist networks, if left unchecked, could once again pose a significant threat to national security.