From Pakistan’s ISI to Zakir Naik: How Bangladesh's new alliances threaten India's security

Over a year since the coup in Bangladesh, which saw former Prime Minister Sheikh  Hasina’s ouster, the country is on the cusp of great changes, some of which, however, may pose significant geopolitical challenges to India. In a major development, reports have emerged that Islamabad has established a special Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) cell inside its High Commission in Dhaka.

Though unconfirmed, this comes, ironically, just days after Pakistan’s Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Sahir Shamshad Mirza visited  Bangladesh. During his visit, over the last weekend, General Mirza visited interim government head Muhammad Yunus, the  army, navy, and air chiefs of Bangladesh. The delegation also included senior ISI officers and  held multiple rounds of discussions with senior officials from Bangladesh’s National Security Intelligence  (NSI) and the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI).

While both countries expressed their intent to enhance cooperation across various  sectors, the meeting also sparked controversy when Yunus presented a book titled  ‘Art of Triumph: Bangladesh’s New Dawn’ to the Pakistani general, featuring a distorted map of Northeast India in Bangladesh. The map featured Assam and other  northeastern states as part of Bangladesh, triggering outrage in India.

It was also decided in the meeting that both Islamabad and Dhaka would have a joint intelligence cooperation and information-sharing framework, the main goal of  which is to strengthen surveillance of the Bay of Bengal region and intelligence  activities in the airspace along India's eastern border, according to an exclusive report by News 18.

It is under the new arrangement that Dhaka has reportedly allowed Pakistan to appoint intelligence officers to the High Commission. The first phase will have a brigadier, two colonels, four majors, and support staff, including air and naval officers, appointed there.

In return, Pakistan will increase defense and technical cooperation with Bangladesh. There will likely be joint military training, naval and air exercises, and the supply of infantry and artillery systems. Dhaka could also purchase Pakistan's JF-17 Thunder  fighter jets and Fatah series rocket systems, the News 18 report added.

Interestingly, this also coincides with controversial preacher Zakir Naik’s reported  visit to Bangladesh. Naik, who was banned by the Sheikh Hasina government, has reportedly been approved by the Bangladesh government to stay for a month and conduct sermons across the country. This will be the Islamic preacher’s first-ever visit to Bangladesh. There are also reports that he could meet commanders of terror outfits of the Harkat-ul-Jihadi Islami (HuJI) and Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen, Bangladesh (JMB).

Naik, who is wanted in India on money laundering and hate speech charges, had in an earlier interview with THE WEEK said that he won’t come back to India if the BJP  were in power. Claiming that he was being targeted in India for his popularity, Naik had then argued that there was no proof for the NIA to claim that he inspired  terrorists. That said, the welcome offered by Dhaka has sounded alarm bells in India, especially since India has flagged the rise of radicalization in Bangladesh post the collapse of Hasina's government.

However, Foreign Affairs Advisor Md. Towhid Hossain feigned ignorance when asked about Naik’s visit. Hossain told Bangladeshi reporters on Monday that "I have not heard whether Zakir Naik has been invited or not. I do not know."

 

 

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