SHILLONG: Though currently lying low, there are as many as seven camps of HNLC in parts of Bangladesh. This is a cause of worry for the police.
A senior BSF official told The Shillong Times that the dwelling places of HNLC include Pucthichera and Phanai Punaee, both rest camps in Moulavi Bazar and a transit camp Nunachera in Moulavi Bazar.
While Bulsuri under Rangmati is used as a transit camp by HNLC, Arusumer in Chittagong Hills Tract is the training camp of the militant outfit. Moreover, Islapunjee and Noonchera in Moulavi Bazar are also the training camps of HNLC.
According to the BSF, though GNLA is active in Garo Hills borders, they have not set up any camp in Bangladesh as their training camps (Durama Hills) and other make shift camps are well inside Garo Hills.
When contacted, DIG, BSF Meghalaya frontier SK Singh said that the camps of HNLC in Bangladesh are not full- fledged.
The BSF IG Meghalaya frontier Sudesh Kumar recently said that many outfits of the Northeast do not have well established camps in Bangladesh as they are shed like structures.
However, in the past the BSF had taken up the issue of Northeast insurgents having camps in the neighbouring country with their Bangladesh counterpart.
The former chairman of HNLC and Mawhati legislator Julius Dorphang said that it is upto both India and Bangladesh to deal with the issue of HNLC having camps in Bangladesh.
East Khasi Hills SP M. Kharkrang said that the police are yet to get the list of camps of HNLC in Bangladesh.
“The HNLC is not active in Khasi Hills. However we are not taking them lightly and whenever we get information, we do act as per the inputs “, Kharkrang said.
Meghalaya police believe that the strength of HNLC will be less than 50 as over the years there was large scale surrender besides police neutralizing many cadres. Besides reduction in the cadre strength, the fire power of the militants was reduced considerably.
HNLC camps in Bangladesh
Pucthichera, Phanai Punaee in Moulavi Bazar area (Rest camp)
Nunachera in Moulavi Baar area( Transit camp)
Bulsuri under Rangmati area (Transit camp)
Arusumer in Chittagong Hills Tract (Training camp)
Islapunjee and Noonchera in Moulavi Bazar (Training camp)
(Source: BSF)