The news is that ULFA kingpin Paresh Barua has changed his/her hideout. Our colleague Economic Times quoted sources as saying that Barua’s hideout has changed. Earlier he/she was living in Ruili near Arunachal Pradesh-Myanmar border. This area comes to China and this was the place of Barua for many years. Now China has changed its hideout to the Autonomous Region of Sheshuangabanna Dai of its Yunnan province. The rebellion in Myanmar is believed to be the reason behind this.
How ISI, Bangladesh and China Is Barua a pawn?
Understand the game how Barua is pawns with ISI, Bangladesh and China. In the 90s, extremism reached the peak in Assam. ULFA kingpin Paresh Barua had become a big headache for the country then. After the strictness of the Indian Army, the Barua started running its activities from across the limit. Bangladesh became his/her whereabouts. Under the patronage of the ISI and Khaleda Zia’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party, he/she continued in Bangladesh and conducted nefarious efforts and militant activities in the Northeast. The scene changed when Khaleda Zia’s grip on Bangladesh politics weakened. She was the Prime Minister of Bangladesh from 1991 to 1996 and then from 2001 to 2006. After 2006, when Khaleda Jia’s grip was weakened, Barua felt clear that now he/she had been conservation and open exemption in Bangladesh. It is said that he/she changed the hideout in 2008 before the general election in Bangladesh and since then he/she started living in Ruili. In 2009, the Awami League government led by Sheikh Hasina in Bangladesh formed the government which continued continuously till her coup in 2024. Hasina’s attitude towards India was always friendly and the same thing kept knocking in the eyes of ISI, China and Pakistan Bangladeshi fundamentalists.
After the puppet government of fundamentalists came to Bangladesh
ISI’s bloom was bloom with the arrival of a puppet government of fundamentalists led by Mohammad Yunus in Bangladesh. As soon as the interim government came, former PM Khalida Jia, who was jailed in the corruption case, was released. The Yunus government also called ISI officers to Bangladesh and hosted and hosting in the sensitive area adjoining India. Now Bangladesh has once again become an open ground for ISI.
Khaleda Jia’s good days who have protected Barua in Bangladesh
Now it is just a coincidence or the pressure of the changed Nizam, the decisions of Bangladesh courts during Younus’s interim government are also coming to please ISI. The ongoing corruption cases against Khaleda Jia and the leaders associated with her party are ending. This week, the Supreme Court of Bangladesh has upheld the decision to acquit Khaleda Jia in a corruption case. In the same case, he/she was sentenced to 7 years by the lower court. In January too, in another case related to corruption, the Supreme Court acquitted Khaleda Jia. In that case, he/she was sentenced to 10 years by the High Court. Jia’s son Tariq Rahman was also acquitted by the apex court.
Barua’s death sentence in Bangladesh was first life imprisonment and later 14 years in jail
It is also interesting that in January itself, the High Court of Bangladesh reduced the sentence of ULFA kingpin Paresh Barua to 14 years in prison. Barua was living in Ruily but in his/her absence, he/she was sentenced to death by a Bangladesh court in 2014 by a Bangladesh court. his/her death sentence was converted into life imprisonment in December 2024. Coincidentally see, all this happened after the Yunus government took power. Then in January 2025, the High Court reduced the sentence of staying in jail till life imprisonment.
Bangladeshi court sentenced Barua in this case in 2014
In fact, in April 2004, Barua, who was living in Bangladesh in Bangladesh, tried to deliver ammunition to the ULFA bases in the Northeast. he/she tried unsuccessfully to smuggle ammunition by filling 10 trucks. These included more than 27,000 grenades, 150 rocket launchers, 1100 sub machine guns, 1.14 crore cartridges including all dangerous weapons and ammunition. In the same case, a case against him/her in Bangladesh court and he/she was first sentenced to death which has now been converted into 14 years imprisonment.
Why did China change Barua’s whereabouts?
According to the report of our colleague Economic Times, now Paresh Barua is living in the Dai area of China, which is living in the Dai area of China. These people have historical, cultural and ethnic relations with the people of Assam. Apart from this, there are reports that have not been confirmed that Barua may have access to Mong La in Myanmar. Mong La may be in Myanmar but China has strong control over it. There is his/her own proxy group NDAA, which is active in the glory of Myanmar.
Hundreds of rebels of Northeast India are said to be hidden in the mountains in the north of Singaling Hakamati in the teak area of Myanmar. According to Myanmar experts, the Myanmar army, entangled in caste rebellions in the country, has not paid much attention to these rebellions.
These rebels also include ULFA, which demands Assam’s independence. The ULFA rebellion was at its peak in the 1990s. After this, the Indian Army’s frequent campaigns forced the group to take shelter towards Myanmar of the border. It has become more weak due to dividing and surrender in the group. But many rebels of ULFA are still present in the northern teak hills.
Why is it a matter of tension for India to change the whereabouts of Barua?
It is important in many ways to go to Barua from Ruili to Shishuangabanna. Ruily is located on the China-Myanmar border and is a major center of trade. India’s border is also near here. Therefore, it was easy for Barua to run his/her network from here. However, the increasing instability in Myanmar posed a threat to them. Going to Shishuangabanna is a safe option for him/her. However, this may affect the relations between India and China. India has already demanded China to hand over Barua. Paresh Barua will try to gather support for the ULFA by taking advantage of the Tai/Dai community’s proximity to the Ahom community of Assam in Shishuangabanna for his/her nefarious purpose. After the increased influence of ISI in Bangladesh and the puppet government of fundamentalists, it can once again use its land to strengthen its militant network in the northeast of India. Pakistan’s ISI, Bangladesh, a puppet government of fundamentalists and this nefarious trio of China can become a problem for the Northeast in the coming days, India needs to be careful about this.
