Guwahati: Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Sunday said the Centre has deployed an Indian Army battalion with a historic role in the 1971 Indo-Pak war in the state amid escalating instability in neighbouring Bangladesh.
Addressing a programme organised by the BJP’s legal cell, Saha said the state government is closely tracking developments across the border and regularly briefing New Delhi on the ground situation and its potential implications for Tripura and the wider Northeast.
He said the same Army battalion that trained the Mukti Bahini and fought in the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War is currently stationed in the state.
Recalling history, Saha referred to the decisive role played by Indian Army mountain formations during the 1971 conflict, particularly the 20 Mountain Division under XXXIII Corps, along with units of the 8th, 6th and 4th Mountain Divisions, which operated in what was then East Pakistan.
Responding to concerns over border security, the Chief Minister dismissed suggestions that the absence of visible troop movement signified vulnerability. He said modern warfare no longer depends solely on physical deployment, asserting that technological capabilities can neutralise threats swiftly.
Saha referred to “Operation Sindoor” and said a single strategic action can decide modern conflicts.
Saha further alleged that external forces were behind the turmoil in Bangladesh, accusing Pakistan of stoking unrest.
He claimed the situation deteriorated after former prime minister Sheikh Hasina fled the country, triggering the resurgence of fundamentalist elements. He said authorities released thousands of criminals and extremists from Bangladeshi prisons while security agencies remained passive.
The Tripura Chief Minister further alleged that forces opposed to India’s rising global stature preplanned the appointment of Muhammad Yunus as Bangladesh’s chief adviser.
He added that such developments posed long-term challenges for regional stability.
Expressing confidence in the country’s leadership, Saha said India remained secure under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whom he described as leading decisively at a critical time for national security.