Dhaka, Oct 9: Bangladesh is facing an unprecedented national crisis as the regime of Muhammad Yunus initiates a sweeping political purge, targeting the armed forces and the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) under the guise of reform. Critics warn this is part of a broader plan to dismantle national security institutions and replace them with an ideologically driven Islamic Revolutionary Army (IRA), akin to Iran’s IRGC.
A recent chargesheet accuses 11 senior military officers, including eight generals and former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, of “crimes against humanity.” The legal action, based on a NED-funded documentary with allegedly fabricated evidence, aims to discredit and sideline key figures who opposed rising Islamist influence. Legal steps are also underway to ban the Awami League, Bangladesh’s largest political party, eliminating electoral competition ahead of planned 2026 elections.
Analysts argue this is part of a coordinated strategy backed by Pakistan’s military and extremist groups like Jamaat-e-Islami and Ansar Al-Islam. Islamabad’s influence is believed to be growing within Dhaka’s power structure, with the eventual goal of implicating current Army Chief General Waker Uz Zaman to completely neutralize Bangladesh’s military leadership.
Observers fear Yunus is replacing secular governance with a theocratic model, importing Taliban-style laws and replacing national police with Hizb ut-Tahrir-linked auxiliary forces. Journalists and dissenters face mass arrests, with over 260 reporters charged under dubious claims. Prominent jihadists, including Ansar Al-Islam leader Jashimuddin Rahmani, have been released and allowed to spread militant propaganda.
The DGFI, once pivotal in counterterrorism and regional stability, is being systematically dismantled. Experts warn that without urgent intervention, Bangladesh could become a South Asian Islamist state similar to Iran or Taliban-ruled Afghanistan. Military analysts argue that these developments are not just internal matters but pose serious regional and global security threats.
Critics stress that the Yunus regime’s rule is propped up by foreign interests and lacks genuine domestic support. His crackdown on political and civil freedoms is aimed at consolidating one-man authoritarian rule under an Islamist banner. Analysts call for urgent international attention, especially from India and democratic allies, to prevent Bangladesh from collapsing into a failed, jihadist state. (IANS)
