Bangladesh Socio-Political Crisis 2024

Journalist Zulkarnain Saer Sami wrote a concerning piece today in his social media.

𝐈𝐦𝐦𝐒𝐧𝐞𝐧𝐭 π“π‘π«πžπšπ­π¬ 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐑𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐒𝐦 π†π¨π―πžπ«π§π¦πžπ§π­:

Since the resignation of the Bangladesh Awami League government, only Major General Zia of the National Telecommunications and Monitoring Center has been dismissed from service. A superficial reshuffling of senior officers occured to distract public attention, while crucially, no changes have been made among field commanders implicated in human rights violations during the student movement. Although the heads of the notorious intelligence agencies, the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) and the National Security Intelligence (NSI), were replaced, nearly all brigadier general-level directors, with records of extrajudicial killing and political affiliation with the Awamileague regime, remain unchanged.

This dangerous nexus between intelligence agencies, field commanders, and senior staff officers poses a severe threat to Dr. Yunus' interim government. The Chief of Army Staff (CAS) is surrounded by these influential figures. For instance, Lieutenant General Tabrez Shams, formerly Director General of DGFI and a key figure in the infamous Aynaghar, has been appointed Quartermaster General. He is next in line to become CAS should the current CAS be unable to serve.

During the recent crisis, Lieutenant General Muzib directed field commanders to use excessive force and maintained direct communication with awami ministers, bypassing the CAS. Now stationed as General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Army Training and Doctrine Command (ARTDOC), he has assembled several platoons in Mymensingh, possibly for ulterior motives. He has also provided refuge to 250 Indian embassy staff and high-profile political leaders in Dhaka Cantonment and may instigate unrest at an opportune moment. As a former Director General of the Special Security Force (SSF), he retains significant influence over the force that is responsible for Chief Advisors overall security.

Major General Moin, GOC of the 9th Division, used brutal force during operations in Jatrabari and other locations. His Artillery Brigade Commander, Brigadier Mahmud, is a staunch supporter of the Bangladesh Awami League and applied deadly force around Narayanganj. Another Brigade Commander, Brigadier Saifullah, formerly a military aide (AMS) to Sheikh Hasina, led raids at Jahangirnagar University. The 9th Division under Major General Moin is a significant threat to the government.

Major General Mahbub of the 55th Division (posted to DGDP today), who was an aide to Sheikh Hasina for five years, is actively attempting to incite rebellion in Gopalganj to destabilize the government. He orchestrated a recent attack on Army personnel in Gopalganj, preventing troops from carrying ammunition. Surprisingly, he has not pursued charges against the attackers and continues to receive directives from Hasina and Rehana. A viral video of Major General Mahbub bowing to Hasina has severely damaged the Army’s image. He has harbored Awami League activists in Jessore, Khulna cantonments, and his Dhaka residence. Close to Major General Zia, Major General Mahbub is in constant communication with Gopalganj Awami League leaders, guiding them to pressure the government. He even instructed support for the August 15th program by the Awami League.

Major General Mamun of the 11th Division, also from Gopalganj and closely allied with the 55th Division, may collaborate to destabilize the government. Major General Mamun took the initiative to send reinforcements to Dhaka to suppress student protests. Despite changes at the top of DG Ansar, no adjustments have been made at the director level of DGFI and NSI, who continue to liaise with former leaders and Awami League officials.

For example, in NSI, Brigadier General Imran, a former Army Service Corps officer from the 29th Long Course, is closely linked to General Tarique Ahmed Siddique, a mastermind of extrajudicial killings during his time in the Rapid Action Battalion. Brigadier Generals Imrul and Sadi, both from the 32nd Long Course, are similarly connected to former Director General T.M. Zobaer and have histories of participating in extrajudicial killings.

In DGFI, Dhaka detachment Commander Brigadier General Mizan, now Director of Administration, is loyal to Major General Hamid. Another director, Brigadier General Tofael, who has been sanctioned by the United States for human rights abuses, maintains connections with Awami League and business leaders.

In a nutshell, no significant changes have been made to the Army's command structure in the past ten days. The same individuals continue to conspire against the interim government, and the possibility of a coup remains if restructuring does not occur at earliest.


There are exaggeration and speculations here. But yes, Army high command does need more overhauling.

Apart from major general Zia, Lieutenant general Mujib was actively pressuring Chief of staff. Previously, it was initially planned to dismiss 4 more. officers along with Zia, but later they were transferred to insignificant posts. Lieutenant general Mujib at ARTDOC doesn't wield any significant power. It's a training institution.

And next Army chief of stuff is chosen by the prime Minister. It can be any of the Lieutenant Generals, not neccessary Lieutenant General Tabrez Shams.

Keep in mind, loyalties does change In these types of situations.

Also, good guys does counterbalance bad guys. Obviously Army chief of stuff, few other Lieutenant and major Generals, new intelligence directors, if they are acting lawfully, they have the support from Army lower echolen Commanders and troops, the government and the public.
 
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The government needs to be slow and methodical in making changes to both civil and military bureaucracies.
Wholesale changes can create panic and skills shortages which can compromise governance.

My relatives used to joke that Hasina wants to rename Bangladesh to Bongobondhudesh. She corruption and rot is so deep. This psycopath of a woman have decided to make BD her own litt fiefdom.
 
No, he retired in 2010. He was leading the investigation on BDR mutiny and was critical of Hasina govt handling, he was then transferred and eventually forced to retire a year later.

If it turns out India was somehow involved in BDR mutiny as now being alleged by shaheed general Shakil's son, (I sincerely hope it is not) it will get real ugly between BD and India.
 
There are exaggeration and speculations here. But yes, Army high command does need more overhauling.

Apart from major general Zia, Lieutenant general Mujib was actively pressuring Chief of staff. Previously, it was initially planned to dismiss 4 more. officers along with Zia, but later they were transferred to insignificant posts. Lieutenant general Mujib at ARTDOC doesn't wield any significant power. It's a training institution.

And next Army chief of stuff is chosen by the prime Minister. It can be any of the Lieutenant Generals, not neccessary Lieutenant General Tabrez Shams.

Keep in mind, loyalties does change In these types of situations.

Also, good guys does counterbalance bad guys. Obviously Army chief of stuff, few other Lieutenant and major Generals, new intelligence directors, if they are acting lawfully, they have the support from Army lower echolen Commanders and troops, the government and the public.

I think the sensationalism in his write up is intended to stir up response within pressure groups (students and politicians) so that they pressure the govt to get Army to remove these Hasina Loyalists from the army.

Also creates awareness for general people that people like these are still in the army. In a way, keeping people ready to resist and get on the streets, in case of a counter coup by any of these officers. Although I admit the possibility of that happening is low now, as you have rightly pointed out, many have changed camp post Hasina resignation.
 
If it turns out India was somehow involved in BDR mutiny as now being alleged by shaheed general Shakil's son, (I sincerely hope it is not) it will get real ugly between BD and India.

I believe it is. But a direct connection will be extremely difficult to prove unless someone high up from Hasina regime confess. Because that incident allowed Hasina to become who she is. Days leading up to the massacre Taposh and his men were having demonstrations for rights of BDR men in the areas surrounding BDR HQ, in hopes of agitating the general BDR jawans. A friend of mine who was a BSL cadre at the time confirmed it too. And it is widely speculated that the actual killer group fled the HQ on the first night. There should be a international warrant against Taposh to bring him back to Bangladesh and put him in remand. He knows everything and his sheikh family connection and rank within BAL would add credibility to his confession.

There was a thread in the old PDF from back in 2009, lot of info was available there. Wish we could've moved it here.
 
If its proven BAL is behind the massacre , then Hasina and her entire family will be regarded the Hitler of Bangladesh. AL will be disbanded and grassroot level AL men will eventually leave the party. BAL will be finished bye bye.

If India is implicated in it, then it will create huge shockwaves in BD society and further geostrategic calculus.
 
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If its proven BAL is behind the massacre , then Hasina and her entire family will be regarded the Hitler of Bangladesh. AL will be disbanded and grassroot level AL men will eventually leave the party. BAL will be finished bye bye.

If India is implicated in it, then it will create huge shockwaves in BD society and further geostrategic calculus.




I think non-whites need to stop using Hitler in a derogatory sense as he is a Zionist villain designed to cow whites.

Hitler had a major part to play in freeing most of the "Global South" for European colonialism.
 
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I think us an non-whites need to stop using Hitler in a deragory sense as he is a Zionist villain designed to cow whites.

Hitler had a major part to play in freeing most of the "Global South" for European colonialism.

Us non whites? Lol, there is no such collective identity.

And stop praising Hitler.
 
Us non whites? Lol, there is no such collective identity.

And stop praising Hitler.


Read my post again and have a good think what I am trying to say there. You have just jumped in with a response without any deep thought it seems.

If it was not for Hitler you may still be a slave in BD, living under a colonial jackboot.

I am not praising him or anything but just commenting on how he radically benefitted most of the "Global South" due to his wars in Europe.
 
I'd rather read and continue to take note of sentiments as they prevail.

There is a very dangerous amount of loose talk, outside PDF, from all accounts, and within PDF. It is better to keep out until the situation stabilises. At the moment, it is terribly unstable and terribly hysterical.

This got published cpl days ago in NYT:


Without paywall:

Officials in the interim government, which is led by the Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, said they were facing multiple crises while trying to carry out a more fundamental overhaul of the state.
The caretaker government has struggled to get police officers to return to work after they had vanished in the face of retaliatory mob violence for their role in the protesters’ deaths. The country’s long-persecuted Hindu minority has been gripped by fear of increased attacks.
The economy, largely reliant on the garment export industry, has also been on a downward spiral, with foreign reserves dwindling.
Bangladesh’s interim leaders have said the country needs β€œa strong element of reconciliation” to avoid falling into the usual violent cycle. But what shape such a reconciliation might take is still being figured out by an overwhelmed week-old government.

β€œWe have formed this advisory board standing on the dead bodies of no less than 500 people,” said Rizwana Hasan, a member of the cabinet and a spokeswoman for the interim government. β€œIt’s no easy task. It’s very depressing.”

The interim government must pick up the pieces of a state in near-total collapse, while also preparing for an election that the organized political parties will soon be demanding. Establishing security is a prerequisite, and that has been made more difficult by the retreat of the country’s 200,000-strong police force, which was deeply politicized under Ms. Hasina.

β€œPolice has also lost its confidence to do policing β€” that’s the reason they could not even come out of barracks, because they thought the people would bash them to death,” said Muniruzzaman, a retired general in the Bangladesh Army and the president of the Bangladesh Institute of Peace and Security Studies. β€œAnd the people have lost the trust.”

He said the interim government needed to convince the political parties that crucial reforms must be carried out before a free, credible election could be held.

This (vacuum and tenuousness in the power setup that has to convince things in multipartisan way for greater credibility/authority/trust building) looks to be the crux of the issue right now that will determine this period of transition and then play its role for the longer term.
 
@LeonBlack08 new grim details are emerging on how major Bazlul was killed by Hassina personally. Apperantly, she gone into the prison during an engineered electricity blackout and ordered sliting his throat while she put her leg on his chest. That bitch was total psycho. Even putting that aside, given how much innocent blood she has on her hand, I think the Interim government and the next elected government should do their maximum to bring her to justice and hang her. Also, we need to bring her son and hang that mf. He is involved in grand theft of public resource.

If India gives Hassina permanent asylum then bilateral relation should be reduced to bare minimum.

In the long run, elected government must look to hang at least 1000 from Hassina regime through legitimate trial. One third of her Cabinets. At least 50 MPs, 200 high ranking police officers who are explicit in crimes like murder and theft of public resources, several dozen justices and judge from supreme court and high court as well from district courts who were involved in judicial killing, several doezens from Bangladesh Secretariat. And several hundreds of well known BAL thugs.

After basic reforms, justice and retribution should be our first priority. There will be no weakness. People must remember for ages to come what is the punishment for crimes against your own people.
 
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new grim details are emerging on how major Bazlul was killed by Hassina personally. Apperantly, she gone into the prison during an engineered electricity blackout and ordered sliting his throat while she put her leg on his chest.

Is this for real?
 

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