Pakistan’s Intelligence agency ISI is accused of orchestrating unrest in Bangladesh in an attempt to remove Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and install a pro-Pakistan government. According to top Intelligence sources cited by CNN-News18, the ISI is using students and the Jamat-e-Islami party (Jamat) to create tension and destabilize the country. The ISI views the Awami League government, led by Hasina, as pro-India and seeks its removal to create instability in the region, potentially providing Pakistan with opportunities to infiltrate India.
Sources allege that the ISI is operating sleeper cells in Dhaka, providing funding and instructions to Jamat and its student wing, Chhatra Shivir, to exacerbate the crisis. The ISI allegedly aims to replace Hasina’s government with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), which is considered pro-Pakistan. The strategy, sources suggest, mirrors the ISI’s tactics in Kashmir, where it instigates unrest and violence to draw international attention and create a favorable environment for its objectives.
The ISI allegedly seeks to establish a neutral government in Bangladesh, paving the way for UN-monitored elections. The ultimate goal, sources claim, is to oust Hasina through force or international pressure, paving the way for a BNP-Jamat-led government.
The unrest in Bangladesh began as peaceful student protests against a quota system for government jobs. However, the demonstrations quickly escalated into a widespread uprising against Hasina and her ruling Awami League party. The government responded with force, leading to widespread violence and deaths, further fueling the anger and calls for Hasina’s resignation.
In response to the escalating crisis, Prime Minister Hasina resigned on Monday, ending 15 years in power. Thousands of protesters defied a military curfew and stormed her official residence. Bangladesh’s military chief, Gen. Waker-uz-Zaman, announced plans to seek the president’s guidance on forming an interim government. He promised to investigate the deadly crackdowns that fueled the outrage against the government and to restore peace. The military has ordered a halt to firing by soldiers and police, and is appealing for calm and cooperation from the citizens, particularly the students.
The unrest has resulted in the closure of schools and universities across the country, and authorities at one point imposed a shoot-on-sight curfew. At least 95 people, including police officers, died in clashes in the capital on Sunday, according to Prothom Alo, the country’s leading Bengali-language daily newspaper. Hundreds more were injured in the violence, and at least 11,000 people have been arrested in recent weeks.
