NEW DELHI: In what sent shockwaves in both Bangladesh and the Indian security establishment, the army in India’s neighbouring state claimed to have foiled an attempt by some of its officers, apparently driven by religious considerations, to overthrow

’s government.

Government sources here confirmed that those held for the attempted coup were “anti-India’’ and wanted to undo the changes effected by the Hasina government last year in the Constitution to make it more secular.

Indian agencies have had inputs about a possible

for the past few days.

While two retired officers, Lt Col Ehsan Yusuf and Major Zakir, have been arrested, some of the main conspirators are believed to be based abroad, said agency reports from Bangladesh. They are said to have links with the 2009 mutiny, only two months after Hasina took over, by Bangladesh Rifles which first exposed the stray extremist elements in the army.

told a press conference in Dhaka on Thursday that the military had specific evidence that up to 16 current and former Bangladeshi officers were involved in the conspiracy, said an AP report.

The foiled coup bid in Bangladesh which came to light on Thursday is worrying for India as it has again brought to light simmering discontent among the Islamists against the friendly

. India not only managed to sign a landmark agreement for complete demarcation of the land boundary last year but, under Hasina, Dhaka has also tried to ensure that its territory is not used to carry out terror strikes against New Delhi.

“Stringent legal measures will be taken against persons involved in the conspiracy after proper investigations,” Brig Gen Muhammed Masud Razzaq told a press conference in Dhaka on Thursday. “Banking on the army in the past, different evil forces availed political gains and made abortive attempts to do so but as an institution, military still has to bear the stigma,” he added.

Razzak told reporters that “some unruly and derailed military officers have been actively engaged in the execution of the heinous conspiracy through maintaining contacts with fugitive Maj Zia (Syed Mohammad Ziaul Huq) by mobile phones and internet”. He said the initial investigations found non-resident Bangladeshis’ (NRB) link to the plot while at least one of the officers, the fugitive major, was linked to banned Islamist group Hizbut Tahrir. Brigadier Razzak said that 14 to 16 officers were under vigil as investigations were underway on the suspected involvement while the detained two former officers “bluntly admitted their role in the plot”.

Hasina had banned Islamic militant groups after taking office in 2009 and has warned in recent speeches that such groups are “conspiring against her elected government. Bangladesh, a parliamentary democracy since 1990, has witnessed two presidents slain in military coups and 19 other failed coup attempts.

Hasina’s father

was assassinated in the country’s first military coup in 1975.

Growing bonhomie

India and Bangladesh last year signed a landmark agreement, paving the way for complete demarcation of land boundary and also managed to resolve the vexed issue of enclavesThere is greater trade and investment, with India too being more generous with tariffsThe sore point remains the Teesta river agreement that has failed to materialize because of opposition from West Bengal CM Mamta Banerjee.BSF formally handed over a list of 46 Indian insurgent camps in Bangladesh to Dhaka and security agencies maintain that Bangladesh has been positive in addressing India’s security concernsHasina expressed her government's readiness to set up power plants in India's north-east and boost trade with India, Nepal and BhutanHasina announced Bangladesh would allow India to use Chittagong and Mongla sea ports as it wanted to improve all types of communication facilities