Pakistan trying to rehabilitate ULFA chief Paresh Baruah in Dhaka

Pakistan, which is making efforts to expand its foothold in post-Sheikh Hasina Bangladesh and allegedly backing radical Jamaat-e-Islami in February polls, is reportedly planning to facilitate the return of ULFA chief Paresh Baruah to Dhaka from his current hideout in China, people familiar with the matter said.

With Pakistan’s Army and ISI expanding their outreach to Bangladesh under the interim regime, there are allegations that the Pakistan security establishment is looking to rehabilitate Indian insurgent groups and their leaders from the northeast, including Baruah, in Dhaka, ET has learnt.

Islamabad is hoping for the return of a favourable regime in Dhaka that would facilitate return of such groups who could then operate out of Bangladesh, replicating the model that was earlier pursued under the BNP-Jamaat government, according to a Bangladesh affairs expert. Baruah allegedly was part of an unsuccessful attempt in 2004 to smuggle 10 truckloads of arms into Bangladesh via Chittagong.

ET had earlier reported that China has facilitated Baruah’s movement from Ruili (close to Arunachal-Myanmar border) to Xishuangbanna Dai. Both places are in China’s Yunnan.