Bangabhumi facts for kids

Bangabhumi (Bengali: বঙ্গভূমি, meaning the land of Vanga) is also known as Bir Banga (Bengali: বীর বঙ্গ). It refers to a movement that wants to create a separate country for Bengali Hindus in southwestern Bangladesh. This idea was started by a group called Banga Sena. Banga Sena (which means "Vanga Army") is a separatist Hindu group. They want to form a Bangabhumi for Bengali Hindus living in Bangladesh. The main leader of this group is Kalidas Baidya.

The Bangabhumi movement began in 1973 in India. This was soon after Bangladesh became independent following the Bangladesh Liberation War. The movement aimed to help Hindu refugees from Bangladesh. These refugees had faced violence during the 1971 Bangladesh atrocities. However, the movement did not get much support at that time. In 2001, one of the people thought to be involved, Chittaranjan Sutar, told BBC News that he did not support creating a new nation.

What is Banga Sena?

Banga Sena is a group that wants to create a separate Hindu state. This state would include parts of Bangladesh, West Bengal, Assam, and other areas in Northeast India. Kalidas Baidya leads this group.

Concerns About Banga Sena's Actions

In 2004, a top official from the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR), Major General Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, spoke with Ajay Raj Sharma from India's Border Security Force (BSF). General Chowdhury said that Banga Sena was causing trouble and trying to separate parts of Bangladesh. He stated that the group was operating from bases in the Indian state of West Bengal. An article in the Global Politician by Khodeza Begum also suggested that India was helping Banga Sena.

In March 2006, a senior official in Bangladesh's home ministry shared worries about Banga Sena's actions against Bangladesh. He said that Bangladesh wants a peaceful border with India. He also noted that the situation had gotten much better because both countries were working together to patrol the border. A Bangladeshi official also said that the group is a "threat to the sovereignty of Bangladesh." This means they threaten Bangladesh's right to govern itself.

Arrests and Border Incidents

On February 18, 2003, more than 400 members of Banga Sena were arrested in India. They were trying to cross into Bangladesh from the North 24 Parganas district in West Bengal. Police said that activists had been gathering at the border since that morning.

In January 2004, the head of the Bangladesh Rifles gave a list of camps to the head of the Border Security Force. This list included Banga Sena and other groups. It showed that these groups were causing religious tension and trying to separate areas from Bangladesh. The Indian Foreign Secretary said that India would help deal with Banga Sena and other groups causing trouble.

In September 2007, representatives from two non-profit groups, Diphu Citizen Peace Forum and Karbi Human Rights Watch, in Assam, said that Banga Sena was involved in extortion. Extortion means illegally demanding money. They warned that this could threaten peace in the region.

Bangladesh's Foreign Secretary, Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury, made it clear that his country would not allow any actions or statements against its land or its right to govern itself. The All India Minority Forum, a group for religious minorities in India, also expressed concern about Banga Sena.

See also

• Bengali Hindus
• Hinduism in Bangladesh
• List of Hindu nationalist political parties
• Bangladesh–India relations
• Hindu Mahasabha