An intelligence official recently disclosed that Jamaat-e-Islami, backed by the ISI, received significant financial support earlier this year with the intent to destabilize the Sheikh Hasina government. It is believed that a portion of this funding came from Chinese entities operating in Pakistan, according to a source revealed by a leading publication.
The ICS, an anti-India group with a jihadist agenda and connections to the ISI-backed Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami (HuJI), has been under surveillance due to its activities near Bangladesh and its training in Afghanistan and Pakistan. According to the intelligence officer, “The ultimate objective of Jamaat or ICS is to establish a Taliban-type government in Bangladesh, and the ISI has been assuring them of their support in achieving this goal.”
China’s Displeasure and Strategic Moves
Despite Sheikh Hasina’s efforts to balance relations between China and India, Beijing’s displeasure grew. The intelligence officer noted that many leaders of the Islamic student outfit managed to engage with Western NGOs by promoting democracy and rights, which was part of their strategic planning.
Propaganda Efforts by China’s Ministry of State Security
Additionally, China’s Ministry of State Security has been notably active in propaganda efforts. The intelligence officer cited a recent propaganda video circulated by the MSS in China, warning of “foreign spies being everywhere,” which was highly uncharacteristic of their usual activities.
China’s Support for a Pakistan-influenced Government
China’s involvement has become more apparent as Beijing viewed a Pakistan-influenced government in Dhaka as advantageous. “The support from China’s Ministry of State Security is also suspected to have extended a helping hand as Beijing has been wary of Hasina’s ‘balancing act’ in its dealings with India and China. A government in Dhaka over which Pakistan has leverage will surely serve Beijing’s interests better,” an intelligence source revealed to a leading publication. The evidence of ICS members’ training in Afghanistan and Pakistan further underscores the group’s connections to the ISI and other terrorist organizations, reflecting a long-term plan to incite violence and destabilize Hasina’s government.
Formation of a New Government in Bangladesh
In the wake of Sheikh Hasina’s resignation, Bangladesh’s army chief is set to engage with student protest leaders as the country prepares for a new government. The Students Against Discrimination movement has proposed Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus as the head of the interim government. Nahid Islam, a key coordinator of the movement, stated, “We have decided that the interim government would be formed in which internationally renowned Nobel Laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus, who has wide acceptability, would be the chief adviser.”
(Includes inputs from online sources.)
ALSO READ: Sheikh Hasina Stays Back As Bangladesh Military Plane Departs India Without Her
