Hafiz Saeed Expands Lashkar Network to Bangladesh, Sends Aide for Jihad Training Against India

Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) chief Hafiz Saeed has reportedly opened a new terror front against India through Bangladesh, sending a senior associate to mobilise and train local youth under the guise of religious activism. The revelation came from a Lashkar commander during a fiery public speech in Pakistan, suggesting that the group is actively trying to revive cross-border terror operations through the eastern corridor.

According to intelligence sources, Hafiz Saeed has dispatched his close aide Allama Ibtisam Elahi Zaheer to Bangladesh, where he is allegedly radicalising and training youth in the name of “jihad.” Zaheer, known for his fiery oratory and extremist ideology, has reportedly been tasked with building sleeper cells and networks that could be used to target India from its eastern border.

The disclosure came during an October 30 rally in Khairpur Tamewali, Pakistan, where Lashkar commander Saifullah Saif publicly hailed Zaheer’s presence in Bangladesh as a strategic move.

“Our people are active in East Pakistan (Bangladesh) and are ready to respond to India,” Saif declared. “Allama Ibtisam Elahi Zaheer went to Bangladesh, and he is roaring like a lion, just like his father once did. India is worried that Hafiz Saeed’s right-hand man is now in Bangladesh, preparing to strike from there.”

A video of Saif’s speech obtained by India Today shows a large crowd, including minors, cheering as he invoked jihad against India and made references to Kashmir and Palestine.

Saif also alluded to Operation Sindoor — India’s counter-terror mission following the Pahalgam attack — while attempting to paint Pakistan’s response as a divine triumph.

“When you entered the field on the night of May 10, Allah made you a superpower. India and America stood against you, but today they have all bowed down,” Saif claimed.

Lashkar’s Expanding Network

Intelligence officials believe this development marks an attempt by Lashkar to revive its regional footprint after facing severe crackdowns in Pakistan and pressure from global watchdogs like the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).

Bangladesh, despite strong counterterror laws, has seen a rise in extremist recruitment efforts by transnational networks attempting to exploit porous borders and socio-economic vulnerabilities.

The expansion of Lashkar’s influence in Bangladesh could have significant implications for India’s eastern security grid, particularly along the West Bengal and Assam borders, where infiltration and propaganda efforts have increased in recent months.

Hafiz Saeed’s Shadow Operations

Despite being imprisoned in Pakistan since 2020 on terror financing charges, Hafiz Saeed allegedly continues to operate through proxies with the tacit support of elements within Pakistan’s political and military establishment. He is the mastermind behind several major terror attacks in India, including the 2008 Mumbai attacks and the 2001 Parliament attack.

New Delhi has repeatedly demanded Saeed’s extradition to India, along with other wanted terrorists, but Islamabad has maintained his incarceration as a symbolic gesture rather than enforcing genuine accountability.

A New Security Concern for South Asia

The revelation of Lashkar’s activities in Bangladesh adds a new dimension to India’s counterterrorism concerns. Experts warn that Pakistan’s proxy networks may be shifting eastward to evade international scrutiny and exploit emerging ideological sympathies among fringe groups in the region.

As India heightens surveillance along its eastern frontier, the development signals a dangerous recalibration of Pakistan-backed terror strategy — one that extends beyond Kashmir and into the broader South Asian theatre.