‘Another Pakistan’ warning puts Bangladesh’s strategic shift in focus
New Delhi, Aug 7 (IANS) Bangladesh reportedly remains “outraged” two days after its deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy addressed an online press conference in New Delhi, though reportage remains missing in Bangladesh due to an official call.
It was Sajeeb Wazed’s iteration on the current political and security situation in Bangladesh – where he claimed the country was moving towards instability and could emerge as a source of regional insecurity if urgent corrective measures are not taken – that raises grave concerns for South Asia.
Significantly, in his statement on Wednesday, Sajeeb Wazed further alleged that post-Hasina Bangladesh has increasingly come to resemble “another Pakistan on India’s eastern front”. There have been several reportages having mentioned that since the past two years, Dhaka’s approach has significantly shifted and that such changes within Bangladesh have drawn attention to its switch in domestic policies and evolving relations outside.
After Hasina’s ouster, the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government formally reversed a ban on the country’s largest Islamist party, Jamaat-e-Islami, and its student wing, Islami Chhatra Shibir.
The then Awami League-led government under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had banned the group under the country’s Anti-Terrorism Act, accusing it of inciting violence during student-led protests. Following her exit, the interim government revoked the executive ban, stating it found “no specific evidence” connecting Jamaat or its affiliates to terrorist activities.
The Jamaat-e-Islami has since consolidated itself, evolving as the principal Opposition, at the head of an alliance, to the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). It has, on several occasions, also tried to pressure Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to pay heed to its demands.
Also, the interim government had re-established air connectivity between Bangladesh and Pakistan officially after a 14-year hiatus. It thus resumed the state-run Biman Bangladesh Airlines to operate non-stop direct flights on the Dhaka-Karachi route.
Direct commercial flights between the two nations had been completely suspended since 2012 by the Hasina administration citing security concerns. Thereafter, reports of suspected Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operatives travelling on a Bangladesh Biman Airlines flight from Karachi to Dhaka raised concerns over regional security.
The flight, which arrived in Dhaka on January 30 this year with 113 passengers on board, reportedly had “at least 28 individuals” under scrutiny for possible links to LeT.
Earlier reports claimed that the interim government had, in end-2024, dismantled critical safeguards designed to protect the region from terrorism and organised crime. An imminent threat was perceived with the then administration allegedly “abruptly withdrawing mandatory security clearance for Pakistani nationals and exempting Pakistani cargo from customs inspections”.
Meanwhile, a surge in defence intelligence analyses and political statements highlighted allegations regarding the expansion of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) operations via Bangladesh, an issue raised by Sajeeb Wazed as well.
According to regional intelligence briefs published by independent platforms, field reports have indicated that the ISI is using Bangladesh as a transit node. Such reports allege that the ISI, in coordination with its proxy Lashkar, has been plotting actions, focusing heavily on India’s eastern border states.
Though the BNP-led government has since moderated some of these steps, Dhaka still needs to tread a clear path for regional safety and stability.
In a significant switch, Bangladesh’s cooperation with China has expanded rapidly in recent years, with projects including infrastructure, energy, and defence that carry strategic weight. Among notable initiatives is the Mongla Port Economic Zone, a 110-acre industrial hub being developed by the state-owned China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation. The location makes it particularly significant, as it positions Chinese-backed industry close to India’s eastern frontier, potentially reshaping regional trade flows and supply chains.
A proposed airport near Mongla has also drawn Chinese interest, raising regional concerns. Another major undertaking is the Teesta River Comprehensive Management and Restoration Project. The river, originating from Sikkim, is a major tributary of the Brahmaputra River, which flows as the Jamuna in Bangladesh.
It has long been a source of water-sharing disputes. China’s involvement in dredging, flood control, and hydrological management introduces new dynamics into this sensitive issue. It raises concerns about Beijing’s growing influence over transboundary water resources that directly affect its northeastern states.
On the defence front, Beijing is assisting Dhaka in developing a submarine base at Cox’s Bazar, which helps China expand its military footprint in South Asia, especially given its role in supplying submarines to Bangladesh’s navy. Beyond these, projects also include Beijing’s push to integrate Bangladesh into its Belt and Road Initiative framework.
–IANS
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