NEW DELHI, Feb 25 (NNN-PTI) The banned United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) is reported to have pumped in over US$6 million to fund major political parties in the forthcoming Bangladesh elections, a leading US think-tank has said.

The funds have gone to at least 15 candidates belonging to both the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and Awami League, Strategic Foresight Inc said, claiming that the ULFA was "hedging its bets in order to protect its militant and business operations in Bangladesh should either party win".

In a report on the general elections, which are expected to be held later this year, and the prevailing political situation in Bangladesh, the think-tank said the ULFA's core leadership is believed to have been living in luxury in that country for 15 years "under the protection of its political allies in Dhaka".

The think-tank, also known as Stratfor, said "as long as ULFA can continue funding the appropriate candidates, it can ensure that the Bangladesh government will resist caving into Indian demands to crack down on the militant group".

Observing that six million dollars was a "handsome contribution" coming from an Indian militant outfit, the report said the ULFA was "no ordinary organisation".

Its chief Paresh Barua was "an enormously wealthy racketeer worth approximately 110 million dollars" with business operations throughout India, Bangladesh and the Persian Gulf, it said.

--NNN-PTI