Bangladesh’s intelligence community has achieved a major breakthrough in countering the insurgency in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT), uncovering the full network of arms smuggling routes and identifying multiple bases of the United People’s Democratic Front (UPDF) located deep inside Indian territory. This finding confirms longstanding suspicions that India is covertly sponsoring the UPDF as part of a broader strategy to destabilise Bangladesh’s eastern frontier.
Intelligence Findings
Investigations conducted jointly by Bangladesh’s intelligence and security agencies have mapped a sophisticated network of infiltration routes and established that the UPDF operates from secure bases in the Indian states of Tripura and Mizoram. These bases serve as training camps, logistical hubs, and storage sites for weaponry. Intelligence reports show that these locations are well equipped and guarded, indicating sustained external support.
The routes exploit dense forest and rugged terrain in the CHT, using covert footpaths, river passages, and motorcycle trails to ferry arms and supplies into Bangladesh. Intercepted communications and informant testimony confirm the flow of rifles, mortars, anti-tank weapons, explosives, and night-vision equipment. Much of this material is sourced with direct logistical support from Indian agencies.
Indian Sponsorship of Insurgency
Bangladesh intelligence points to direct Indian involvement in sustaining the UPDF. The support includes training in guerrilla tactics, supply of high-grade equipment, and the establishment of forward operational bases across the border. Sources indicate this is part of a deliberate hybrid warfare strategy designed to exert pressure on Bangladesh and undermine stability in the CHT.
This finding confirms a long-suspected pattern of covert Indian sponsorship of cross-border militancy. It adds a new dimension to the bilateral security challenge and represents a serious breach of sovereignty.
Strategic Implications
The revelations have significant implications for Bangladesh’s national security and regional stability. The UPDF insurgency has caused casualties, displacement of civilians, and disruption of economic activity in the CHT. India’s covert involvement raises the stakes, turning what was a domestic law-and-order challenge into a matter of interstate conflict.
Bangladesh now faces the dual challenge of neutralising armed insurgents while countering a cross-border security strategy. Intelligence chiefs emphasise the need for enhanced surveillance, rapid-response operations, and stronger diplomatic engagement.
Military Response: Expanding Border Presence
According to senior Army sources previously reported in an exclusive BDMilitary analysis, the Bangladesh Army is planning to establish 250 additional forward operating camps along the CHT and border regions to effectively counter the UPDF and allied insurgent groups. These camps will function as permanent surveillance and rapid reaction points, enabling greater control over infiltration routes and strengthening deterrence. The expansion is designed to complement ongoing operations and ensure persistent pressure on insurgent networks.
Way Forward
Military analysts recommend a threefold approach: strengthening border intelligence and surveillance through advanced UAVs and riverine patrols; intensifying coordinated operations between the Bangladesh Army, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), and Coast Guard to dismantle UPDF networks; and escalating diplomatic efforts to expose and halt India’s covert sponsorship of insurgency.
Bangladesh’s intelligence breakthrough represents a turning point in counter-insurgency operations. It underscores the need for robust national strategy and inter-agency coordination to safeguard sovereignty and security.
Annex — UPDF Bases, Arms Routes, and Supply Details
| No. | Suspected Base Location | State | Main Activities | Types of Arms Supplied | Supply Route | Date of Detection |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Forest Area | Tripura | Training, logistics | Rifles, mortars, explosives, night-vision gear | Secret footpath and motorcycle routes | March 2025 |
| 2 | Border Area | Mizoram | Base, weapons storage | Anti-tank weapons, rifles, grenades | River and cave routes | May 2025 |
| 3 | Border Area | Tripura | Planning centre, logistics | Explosives & communications equipment | Footpath and river route | July 2025 |
| 4 | Forest Area | Mizoram | Training and supply base | Mortars, rifles, night-vision equipment | Motorcycle and cave routes | August 2025 |
| 5 | Border Area | Tripura | Weapons and covert communications hub | Anti-tank weapons, rifles, explosives | River and secret crossing routes | September 2025 |
| 6 | Border Area | Tripura | Forward operations base, logistics | Rifles, light machine guns, explosives | Footpath and river crossings | September 2025 |
Khaled Ahmed is a seasoned former intelligence analyst and military expert from the Netherlands, bringing over 15 years of specialised experience in operational intelligence, threat analysis, and strategic defence planning. Having served in high-level, classified roles within Dutch military intelligence, he possesses rare expertise in European security architecture, NATO doctrine, and asymmetric warfare. Khaled’s deep operational insight and international perspective enable him to deliver precision-driven intelligence analysis and forward-looking strategic forecasts. A trusted contributor to high-level risk assessments and security briefings, he offers readers clarity on complex defence and security challenges. Khaled leads the National Security and Fact Analysis sections at BDMilitary. He holds a Master’s degree in International Relations from the University of Groningen, The Netherlands, and is fluent in Dutch, French, and Arabic — combining linguistic dexterity with operational expertise to analyse security issues across cultures and regions.
