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“Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) recruits are being radicalised in unrecognised madrasas and trained in cross-border camps. They are using tactics similar to those during the 2019 anti-CAA riots, raising fears of a coordinated Islamist agenda,” say intel sources
Security personnel deployed outside district magistrate office amid protests by members of the Muslim community against the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2025, in Birbhum district of West Bengal, Friday, April 11, 2025. (PTI Photo)
The Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), an Islamist terror group responsible for attacks in Bengal in the past, is reactivating modules in seven border districts in the state to recruit youths from madrasas, according to intelligence sources.
West Bengal saw violence in Murshidabad over the Waqf Amendment Act, which led to at least three deaths and left several injured over the weekend.
“The Bangladesh border is a gateway for radicalisation. They are regrouping in Murshidabad and Malda,” said sources.
“They are using tactics similar to those during the 2019 anti-CAA riots, raising fears of a coordinated Islamist agenda,” said sources, adding, “The JMB recruits are being radicalised in unrecognised madrasas and trained in cross-border camps.”
THE VIOLENCE: WHAT GOVT SOURCES SAY
Around eight companies of the Border Security Force (BSF), along with around 1,000 police personnel, have been deployed in the district. Officers ranging from the DG level to Additional SP have been deputed in areas that witnessed violent clashes.
Over 150 arrests have been made, with prohibitory orders and internet shutdowns imposed in Murshidabad, said government sources.
While intelligence agencies have issued urgent alerts to the West Bengal government, there is a systemic collapse of law and order, with state police colluding with the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) to ignore communal clashes, allege sources. Sources allege, “There were attacks on Hindu properties during protests. The political exploitation of religious sentiments risks is destabilising the state bordering Bangladesh.”
Police admitted to using “minimum force,” fuelling allegations of deliberate inaction. Eventually, the Calcutta High Court stepped in and ordered the deployment of central forces not only in Murshidabad, but also anywhere else where such violent incidents take place.
With 30% Muslim voters and 2026 elections approaching, CM Mamata Banerjee’s guarantees are seen as consolidating her vote bank.
The Waqf protests, marked by anti-Hindu targeting and inflammatory slogans, have exposed a volatile mix of identity politics, administrative failure, and external threats, said sources.
Intelligence agencies stress that Bengal’s communal protests, if unchecked, could embolden cross-border extremism and destabilise India’s eastern frontier.