Chowdhury is no stranger to Indian security agencies. His proximity to Khaleda Zia was always a cause of worry for New Delhi. She appointed him as Parliamentary advisor while in power and he continues to be a leading BNP voice in the Bangladesh Parliament.

He runs a transport business but came under cloud when Bangladeshi police accidentally nabbed a huge arms cache in 2004 being transported on a dozen trucks allegedly belonging to him. The leads from this seizure led to the famous arms haul in Chittagong from where these trucks were loaded.

These trucks were headed to Maulvi Bazar, purportedly meant for N-E insurgent groups like the ULFA and the NSCN (I-M).

He was also arrested in the anti-corruption drive that was launched by the interim government but managed to get bail last September. While in prison, he is said to have been in touch with Pakistan military officers in a bid to get some help for his release. Indian agencies have in the past obtained evidence of his conversations with the Pakistan military establishment, particularly the ISI.

In the wake of this emergency in Bangladesh, sources said, high-level political contacts have been maintained between New Delhi and Dhaka though the former has made it clear that this is Bangladesh’s internal matter. Clearly, sources said, initial reports confirm the suspicion that the BDR revolt was a planned attempt to create a crisis in Dhaka and turn it into an unmanageable situation. Broad comparisons are also being drawn to what happened in the 1970s leading to killing of Sheikh Mujib-ur-Rehman and his family.

... contd.