US Desperate for Bangladesh Military Base; Amid Plot to Carve New State
Recent reports have unveiled a purported conspiracy by Western nations, particularly the United States and Britain, to establish a Christian state by partitioning territories from Bangladesh, Myanmar, and India. Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has alleged that insurgent groups, including the Kuki-Chin National Front (KNF) and the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA), are involved in this scheme. She revealed to the 14-party alliance leaders that a foreign entity had offered her reelection assistance in exchange for allowing an airbase in Bangladesh, suggesting significant geopolitical stakes likely involving the US.
The strategic location of the Bay of Bengal has drawn international interest, with St. Martin's Island being a focal point. The island, covering an area of only 3 km², is located in the northeastern part of the Bay of Bengal. Despite official denials from US State Department officials, suspicions about US intentions persist. In a parliamentary discussion on June 14, 2023, Rashed Khan Menon, president of the Workers Party of Bangladesh, alleged that the US aimed to control Saint Martin’s Island and linked this to the new US visa policy. On June 19, 2023, Hasanul Haque Inu, president of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal, questioned whether the US's interest in Bangladesh was driven by democratic ideals or strategic control over the island.
Western NGOs and Christian missionaries have reportedly been active in border areas of Bangladesh, India, and Myanmar, working to convert local populations and lay the groundwork for a new Christian state, aiming at unifying tribal groups across these regions, and leveraging ethnic and religious dynamics. The Chin-Kuki-Mizo groups, for example, are spread across Myanmar, India, and Bangladesh, with significant populations in each country. Over one million Chin live in Myanmar, one million Mizo live in Mizoram, half a million Kuki live in Manipur, and tens of thousands of Kuki live in Bangladesh.
The KNF's strategic alliance with the Islamist militant group Jamaat Ul Ansar Fil Hind Al Sharqiya (JAFHS) raises further concerns. This partnership is seen as a tactical move to further their objectives under the pretence of agricultural projects and religious conversions, thus masking their true agenda. The KNF and JAFHS have been implicated in attempts to establish a "Caliphate Village '' in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, using militant activities to destabilise the region. Their activities allegedly include plans to buy land and run militancy operations under the guise of agricultural farms, and to lure residents towards religious conversion.
The strategic importance of the Bay of Bengal and the surrounding areas makes this a critical issue for regional stability and security. This alleged plot poses a significant threat to the national security of Bangladesh, India, and Myanmar.
