Rahul Mondal
The recent violence during April 2025 Waqf protest in Murshidabad of West Bengal has once again put spotlight on the impact of deeper issues of cross-border radicalisation, illegal migration and terrorist activities from Bangladesh. The protest started as a protest over Waqf Act 2025 but then it escalated into widespread violence against Hindus. This disturbing incident is not just an isolated incident rather it is part of a much bigger ongoing pattern of radicalisation and demographic shift that has been building up near the border districts of West Bengal for years.
Note– National Commission for Women (NCW) Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar meets the families affected by the Murshidabad violence at a shelter home, in Malda.
Source- ANI Photo
The Murshidabad district and many other border districts of West Bengal have long been affected by the illegal migration from Bangladesh. This illegal migration combined with the spread of radical ideologies in the areas has made it increasingly volatile. Violent attacks on Hindu communities, temples, looting the Hindu’s businesses and destroying the Hindu houses have become more common, the same pattern like the attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh. The Murshidabad violence of 2025 also shows the impact of influencing local radical elements by the terrorist organisations like the Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) and Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT).
These violent activities not only fractured the demographic shifts but also highlighted the growing risk of cross-border radicalisation, especially in districts like Murshidabad, which is located along the porous India-Bangladesh border with 24.2% Hindu population. Illegal migration, sleeper cells of terrorist groups and political polarisation have created a perfect storm of vulnerabilities in these border districts.
Rise of Radical Networks and Planned Communal Unrest in West Bengal-
The violence is a picture of growing extremism in the border districts of West Bengal influenced by the radicalisation and illegal migration. The violence behind the protest against Waqf Act was planned and motivated attacks on Hindus. On 8th April 2025, the radical elements blocked the NH 12 at Umarpur, pelted stones, and attacked police vehicles. The Police Headquarter of Murshidabad district is in Berhampore, so police were unable to go to the violence prone areas like Dhulian and Suti because of the blockade at the NH 12. These incidents are not a new phenomenon, it was traced back to the Khagragarh blast in 2014, where the first trace of JMB module was exposed in West Bengal. After that the violence and vandalization during the CAA protest in December 2019 by these radical Islamist and then this Murshidabad incident of violence shows the growing vulnerabilities day by day in West Bengal.
Terrorist groups like JMB and ABT of Bangladesh have been active in West Bengal for years to promote Islamic extremism and terrorist activities. These groups also use local religious leaders and madrasas to amplify their messages and recruit young people through a combination of radical propaganda and social media. According to NIA investigations, there have been increasing instances of Bangladesh-based extremist modules such as the JMB, collaborating with local operatives in India, using social media networks to fuel communal unrest and radicalise youth. As per report, 1,093 fake accounts had been identified to spread disinformation about the Waqf Act.
Md Yunus’s interim government of Bangladesh has significantly empowered the Islamist groups and it further destabilises the region. Yunus’s government has lifted bans on radical organisations of Bangladesh like Jamaat-e-Islami and Hizb ut-Tahrir (HuT), and also allows them to operate openly to spread extremism. These groups are advocating for a caliphate, Sharia law and also have been able to radicalize youth through rallies and online campaigns. During the 2024 political chaos in Bangladesh, over 2,200 prisoners were escaped including 70 terrorists from groups like JMB, coupled with the looting of 5,800 firearms and 300,000 rounds of ammunition and this enhancing the capabilities of terrorist groups. The growing influence of these radical leaders is a major factor in the increasing violence activities in the border districts of India.
Performance of the Government against these threats-
The response to the April 2025 Murshidabad violence reflects a negligence of West Bengal’s government to take actions against these violent activities. Initially the state government had no intention to tackle these serious violent activities because of the political advantages. The state government of West Bengal just blocked the internet services during this violence. But after the Calcutta High Court’s intervention and order of deploying the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) in the affected areas, the state police started taking action. The state police arrested more than 307 persons and registered more than 122 FIRs after the significant damage was done. Despite prior warnings, past similar violent activities during the CAA protest in 2019 and NIA reports on JMB and ABT, the state authorities failed to prevent the unrest.
The state government’s hesitancy to take necessary action against the illegal migration from Bangladesh has also strengthen the problem. The central government has made efforts to secure the border but it is very difficult for Border Security Forces (BSF) to keep an eye on every corner of this porous and riverine India-Bangladesh border. This porous nature of the border allows the extremists to infiltrate into India.
Impact of this Violence and Radicalisation on India’s National Security-
The Murshidabad violence of 2025 has dealt a serious blow to India’s internal cohesion and national security. The targeted attacks on Hindu minorities in the areas like Suti, Samserganj, Dhulian and Jangipur shows the same pattern of violence by the radical Islamists against Hindus in Bangladesh. The violence forced 400 Hindu families to be displaced to the nearest district Malda of West Bengal.
Note- West Bengal governor CV Ananda Bose with displaced victims
Source- PTI Photo
The violence led to the destruction of homes, shops, temples and public property including attacks on government offices, the blockade of National Highway 12 and the vandalism of Nimtita railway station. Also, three people were killed in this violence and several security personnel were injured.
Note- A Police vehicle was set on fire during the protest
Source- The Indian Express
The shelter camps in Malda are now the house of those affected families, also scarred by trauma, especially children and the elderly. This intrastate migration of Bengali Hindus following the violence once again evokes the painful memories of the migration during 1947 and 1971.
The increase of radicalisation, illegal migration and continued infiltration of JMB and ABT from across the Bangladesh border poses a serious challenge for India’s security. These networks not only incite terrorist activities in India but also recruit and radicalise local youth to do terrorism activities in India. For example, the recent arrest of two JMB operatives with suspected Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) links, Ajmol Hossain and Saheb Ali Khan for recruiting youths, spreading extremist ideology and plotting attacks by the STF of West Bengal from Birbhum in May, 2025. The Khagragarh blast of 2014 was an early warning and sign of the presence of JMB in West Bengal. This radicalisation also could help the ISI agents of Pakistan to operate in India by using the radical elements. The radicalised population of these areas could be used against India during any emergency or war time situation.
Emerging Issues and the Way Forward-
Despite fences and BSF patrols, parts of the India-Bangladesh border remain porous and this enables illegal migration, smuggling and the cross-border movement of radical elements. Data from the West Bengal state home department shows a 40% rise in communal incidents in Murshidabad since 2022, which highlights a worrying trend. BSF’s reports also reveal a 15% increase in illegal border crossing with the help of porous nature of the border, especially after the interim government took charge of Bangladesh. Also, less coordination between the state and central government makes the issues more vulnerable.
Radical groups easily target the youths by using social media and madrasas to spread radical propagandas and disinformation. The negligence of the state government to take action against these radical elements, persons like Md Yunus in Bangladesh and their anti-India rhetoric, and also the increasing influence of terror organisations based out of Bangladesh like JMB and ABT, poses a serious security threat to India’s national security.
The path forward must be a holistic approach by both the state and central government of India to tackle these issues. Only border management would not tackle these cross-border infiltrations because without internal support no one would infiltrate through the border. The coordinated actions by both BSF and state police with the help of local intelligence will help to tackle these serious security issues. Also, the state government must ensure fast tracking justice and crack down the radical elements. Only a combined effort of security, governance and social harmony can prevent Murshidabad from becoming a permanent fault line.
Conclusion-
The Murshidabad violence of 2025 starkly illustrates how porous borders, illegal migration and the resurgence of radical elements exacerbated by political developments in neighboring Bangladesh, pose a growing threat to India’s national security. The convergence of local grievances, demographic shifts and the growing reach of extremist groups from across the border have turned West Bengal’s border districts into flashpoints of violence and instability. Addressing these challenges requires not only border management but also needs fast action against these radical elements and the coordination between both state and central government. A holistic, multi-stakeholder approach is essential to safeguard India’s peace and security in this strategically sensitive region.
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About the Contributor: Rahul Mondal is a Research Intern at IMPRI. He has a MA in Defence and Strategic Studies from Rashtriya Raksha University, also specializing in India-Bangladesh border security, geopolitics, insurgency and defence.
Acknowledgement– The author extends his sincere gratitude to Dr. Arjun Kumar, Aasthaba Jadeja and all the members of IMPRI team to guide him through this process.
Disclaimer: All views expressed in the article belong solely to the author and not necessarily to the organisation.
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