Dhaka: In a sharp rebuke of political adventurism, Bangladesh Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman reportedly thwarted a covert attempt by interim government head Mohammad Yunus to incite tensions along the India-Bangladesh border, in what is being seen as a desperate political ploy. According to Swarajya Magazine, the move was aimed at deflecting rising domestic criticism and consolidating power amid mounting political and military pressure.
Citing senior officials, the report claims Yunus intended to trigger minor confrontations with India to stoke nationalist sentiments and divert attention from his lack of electoral legitimacy. The plan allegedly aimed to bypass the need for elections by rallying public opinion around a manufactured external threat.
The strategy was reportedly developed in coordination with Bangladesh’s National Security Adviser Khaleelur Rahman and Lieutenant General Mohammad Faizur Rahman, an officer said to have longstanding ties with Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). The timing coincided with India’s Operation Sindoor against Pakistan, suggesting an effort to exploit broader regional tensions.
According to sources within Dhaka cantonment cited by Swarajya, the plan involved directing the Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) to take a confrontational posture along the frontier with India. Additional army units were also to be positioned near the border to reinforce the BGB presence and escalate pressure on India’s Border Security Force (BSF).
However, the plan reportedly unraveled when General Zaman was alerted. He is said to have immediately reprimanded the BGB director general and demanded a full account of the operation. The official pointed to verbal directives that originated directly from Yunus’s office and residence in Jamuna.
Also Read | India to Hunt Terrorists ‘Wherever They Are’, Including Pakistan, Says Jaishankar
Alarmed by the implications of such a maneuver, the Army Chief convened an emergency meeting with Bangladesh’s top defense leadership, including Chief of General Staff, Air Chief Marshal Mahmud Khan, and Navy Chief Admiral Nazmul Hasan. The military leadership unanimously condemned the plan as reckless and destabilizing.
In response, General Zaman communicated directly with Mohammad Yunus and his National Security Adviser, making it clear that the military would not support any attempt to provoke conflict with India. He refused to deploy troops or authorize any further aggressive posturing by the BGB. Following this strong internal opposition, Yunus reportedly withdrew the plan without public acknowledgment.
Also Read | US Seeks Market Access, India Insists on Balanced Deal in Final Trade Talks
The episode underscores the internal rift within Bangladesh’s interim leadership and reaffirms the military’s firm position against destabilizing actions at a time of regional sensitivity. It also highlights the armed forces’ role as a stabilizing institution amidst political uncertainty in Dhaka.
