India helps Bangladesh Army Chief, foils conspiracy to remove Waqar-Uz-Zaman, Pakistani ISI plans to…, Yunus government to..

In a major move, India helped the Bangladesh's Army Chief, General Waqar-Uz-Zaman, in suppressing a rebellion by some Pakistan-backed generals.

New Delhi: Intelligence reports indicate that a coup attempt within the Bangladesh Army was foiled with India’s support. However, the threat to Bangladesh’s Army Chief, General Waqar-Uz-Zaman, still persists. In a major move, India helped the Bangladesh’s Army Chief, General Waqar-Uz-Zaman, in suppressing a rebellion by some Pakistan-backed generals. It has been learned that certain Pakistan-supporting officers had held a meeting to remove the Army chief from his post. However, India warned the Bangladesh Army Chief about the coup in advance, enabling him to retain his position.

Swarajya Magazine reported that India not only helped in saving the Army Chief’s position but also dealt a significant blow to Mohammad Yunus in his efforts to run a government led by extremists. Reports are now emerging regarding the failed coup attempt against the Bangladesh Army Chief. Intelligence sources indicate that the coup plot was orchestrated by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

The ISI was reportedly unhappy with General Waqar-Uz-Zaman because the Army Chief was acting as a barrier to Bangladesh’s close ties with Pakistan.

Attempt to Overthrow Bangladesh’s Army Chief

To recall, it was only the country’s military that has refused to surrender to the Islamists attempting to seize power after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had to flee the country and take refuge in India. It is believed that the reason for the displeasure with General Waqar-Uzzaman was his role in safely escorting Sheikh Hasina out of the country. According to a Swarajya report, high-ranking sources from Bangladesh’s Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) revealed that ADSM leaders and Islamists had attempted to capture Sheikh Hasina from her residence on August 5.

The report quoting the sources in DGFI revealed that the plan was to first arrest Sheikh Hasina, then conduct a trial against her, and finally sentence her to death. A top DGFI official told Swarajya that “this would have satisfied the bloodlust of the Islamists.”

Additionally, the Chief of the Bangladesh Army had issued a stern warning against the growing chaos and unrest in the country. It is believed that this warning was directed at Muhammad Yunus’s interim government, which has angered the Islamists.

How was the coup plotted?

Swarajya, in its report, has stated that the Quartermaster General (QMG) of the Bangladesh Army, Lieutenant General Muhammad Faizur Rahman, was the one who was set to execute this coup. If the coup had been successful, he was to be appointed as the new Army Chief. Lieutenant General Rahman is known to be close to Jamaat-e-Islami and is a hardline Islamist. He is also considered to have close ties with the Pakistani military and has openly advocated for strong relations between the armies of Pakistan and Bangladesh, including the sharing of intelligence. Before becoming QMG in October last year, Rahman had served as the head of DGFI for a few months.