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Published 17:49 IST, January 24th 2025

ISI-Bangladesh Nexus? Pakistan Pushes for Stronger Intelligence Cooperation as ISI Team visits Dhaka

Bangladesh’s shift towards Islamist fundamentalism, marked by growing ties with Pakistan, has raised significant concerns for India and the South Asian region.

Reported by: Yuvraj Tyagi
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ISI-Bangladesh Nexus
ISI-Bangladesh Nexus | Image: Republic

New Delhi, India - Bangladesh, once hailed as a moderate, secular Muslim-majority nation, is now dangerously veering towards Islamist fundamentalism, raising grave concerns for India and the broader South Asian region. The recent visit of Pakistan’s ISI team to Dhaka has only reinforced fears that Bangladesh’s interim leadership is increasingly aligning itself with forces that threaten to undermine regional security and stability.

In a notable shift in military-to-military ties, Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) has dispatched a delegation to Bangladesh, marking a significant leap in the two countries’ military engagements. The delegation, which arrived in Dhaka on January 21, 2025, is led by Major General Shahid Amir Afsar, the ISI’s Director General of Analysis. Afsar, a former defence attache in Beijing, is part of a four-member team visiting Bangladesh for the first time in over a decade.

This visit comes just days after a senior Bangladeshi military delegation, led by Lt Gen SM Kamrul Hasan, visited Pakistan from January 13-18. The Bangladeshi delegation held talks with top Pakistani military leaders, including General Asim Munir, underscoring the recent thaw in bilateral relations.

From Secularism to Extremism

Under the leadership of Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh maintained a delicate balance, promoting economic growth while curbing the influence of Islamist elements within its borders. However, the ousting of Hasina's government amid orchestrated protests and the subsequent rise of the interim leadership under Muhammad Yunus has paved the way for the resurgence of Islamist forces with deep connections to Pakistan’s military intelligence establishment.

The ISI delegation’s activities in Bangladesh include meetings with the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI), Bangladesh’s top military intelligence agency, as well as visits to key military establishments. The delegation is also expected to engage in intelligence-sharing discussions, although the specifics of these interactions remain undisclosed.

This visit comes on the heels of a growing military partnership between Bangladesh and Pakistan. Last week, Bangladesh’s military delegation to Pakistan highlighted a strengthening of defence relations, with discussions on enhancing joint military cooperation and fostering regional stability. Notably, during talks between Lt Gen Kamrul Hasan and Gen Asim Munir, the two leaders underscored the importance of a resilient defence partnership, with Munir referencing “external influences,” an apparent nod to India’s growing regional presence. This shift is not merely a diplomatic recalibration but a dangerous embrace of extremist ideologies that had been systematically rooted out in previous years.

Pakistan’s Old Playbook Resurfaces

Pakistan, notorious for exporting jihad and instability across South Asia, appears to have found an eager ally in Bangladesh’s new dispensation. Islamabad's persistent attempts to regain influence in Dhaka, which were consistently thwarted by Hasina's administration, have now been met with open arms. This renewed engagement, cloaked under the guise of intelligence-sharing and economic cooperation, is little more than a calculated attempt to re-establish extremist networks that threaten India’s security. The strategic implications of this growing Bangladesh-Pakistan axis are alarming.

India’s concerns are compounded by the possibility of this renewed cooperation fueling instability in the northeastern states, where cross-border militant activities have been a persistent issue. The Siliguri Corridor, which connects India’s northeastern states to the rest of the country, has been particularly vulnerable to security threats, and experts fear that growing ties between Dhaka and Islamabad could embolden militant groups operating in the region.

Implications for India: A Looming Security Nightmare

For India, Bangladesh’s newfound affinity for Pakistan represents a direct security challenge. The porous Indo-Bangladesh border, spanning over 4,000 kilometres, has historically been a conduit for smuggling, illegal immigration, and infiltration by extremist elements. The possibility of a resurgent Islamist network, backed by Pakistani handlers and facilitated by Dhaka’s current leadership, poses an existential threat to India’s northeastern states.

The Siliguri Corridor—India’s strategic "Chicken’s Neck" that connects the northeastern region to the mainland—is particularly vulnerable. If Dhaka's leadership continues to provide a safe haven to extremist elements, India’s internal security apparatus could face an uphill battle in curbing cross-border terror activities. The revival of anti-India terror outfits, such as Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), with tacit support from Pakistan’s ISI, is a distinct possibility.

Moreover, the timing of Bangladesh's policy shift is no coincidence. With China seeking greater influence in the region through its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Dhaka’s newfound camaraderie with Pakistan could serve as a proxy for Beijing’s larger strategic ambitions in the Bay of Bengal. This troika of China, Pakistan, and a pro-Islamist Bangladesh could create a formidable challenge to India’s regional dominance. 

Updated 17:49 IST, January 24th 2025