The Importance of Defence Cooperation Between Pakistan and Bangladesh

In our region, politics has become such that people are made so fearful under the guise of religion that they begin to accept deprivation as destiny and oppression as a trial to bear with patience. They are made to think that raising their voices for their rights is sinful, that slavery is a divine will, and that they should remain silent, considering death a preordained day. This is why oppressed nations even elevate corrupt individuals to the status of gods, while free nations hold even exceptional rulers like Umar ibn al-Khattab accountable.

The day we instil in our children the understanding that our heroes are not those who constantly threaten war and bloodshed, but rather those who, out of reverence for their Lord, consider the respect for both human and animal life a duty, who spend their nights in prostration in awe of Allah, and who stand firm like a fortified wall against oppression with the strength gifted by Allah—on that day, we will have shaped a society where our children learn to despise crime and violence. Therefore, we must teach our children the difference between right and wrong and guide them to love a life that can serve as the provision for the eternal life hereafter.

A recent example of this is from just two weeks ago, on 2nd January, when I mentioned the alleged corruption of the fugitive and ruthless Sheikh Hasina Wajid’s niece, Tulip Siddiq, in my article “Optimism or Pessimism.” Today, global media has gone viral with the news that Tulip Siddiq, a member of the British Cabinet, resigned due to the investigation of corruption charges against her in Bangladesh. The 42-year-old Tulip Siddiq, who was the Economic Secretary at the UK Treasury, is the niece of the former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajid, who resigned after public protests in Bangladesh last year.

Tulip Siddiq is accused of facilitating an agreement between Bangladesh and Russia in 2013, which led to an increase in the total cost of a nuclear power plant in Bangladesh. Sources close to Siddiq have denied these allegations, calling them “false” and claiming that they were entirely political, aimed at harming her aunt Sheikh Hasina Wajid. Siddiq’s name has surfaced in investigations into corruption during Sheikh Hasina’s government in Bangladesh, and it is alleged that her family was involved in a £3.9 billion embezzlement.

During her time as a British Minister, Tulip’s responsibilities also included addressing irregularities in the country’s financial markets. Her decision to resign came after being implicated in another corruption investigation in Bangladesh. Siddiq is a Member of Parliament for the Labour Party, representing Hampstead and Highgate in London. She had previously been under investigation for her connections to properties in London associated with people close to Sheikh Hasina. The Financial Times had reported that a person connected to Sheikh Hasina’s government had given Tulip a flat in the King’s Cross area. In 2022, Tulip denied reports that the flat had been gifted to her and claimed it was purchased by her parents. However, Labour Party sources later revealed that the flat had been given to her by a property developer who allegedly had ties to Sheikh Hasina.

The Prime Minister’s advisor, Sir Laurie Magnus, conducted an investigation into the matter over the course of a week. Following the investigation, Sir Laurie wrote in his report that Tulip Siddiq admitted she did not know the true owner of the flat in King’s Cross. He stated that Tulip had assumed her parents bought the flat from the previous owner and had unknowingly misled the public about the identity of the person who gave it to her. Sir Laurie also mentioned that, although he could not investigate all the media reports comprehensively, he found no evidence of irregularities in Tulip or her husband’s dealings with properties in London that had attracted press attention. He found no indication of any extraordinary financial activities related to properties owned by Siddiq that could be linked to the Awami League or Bangladesh. He also found no evidence suggesting that Tulip or her husband had gained any financial assets through illegal means. It is worth noting that Tulip Siddiq has been elected to Parliament on the Labour Party ticket since 2015.

Her grandfather, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, was the first President of Bangladesh. In 1975, when a military coup took place in Dhaka, Mujibur Rahman and most of his family were killed, but Tulip’s mother, Rehana, and her sister Sheikh Hasina survived as they were abroad. Rehana was granted political asylum in the UK when she was very young. Her father was a professor at a university in Dhaka, and it was during a visit to London that he met Tulip’s mother, married her, and moved the family to London.

In a 2017 Channel 4 interview, the host asked Tulip Siddiq why she had never challenged her aunt, who was accused of human rights violations in Bangladesh. After this discussion, the program’s editor complained that Tulip had behaved in a “threatening” manner with a pregnant producer, after which Tulip apologized for her conduct.

Meanwhile, after Sheikh Hasina’s departure from power, recent days have seen a marked improvement in relations between Pakistan and Bangladesh. There have been numerous diplomatic advances, which have led to a rapid increase in diplomatic and trade relations between the two countries. As a result, the walls of misunderstanding between the nations are beginning to crumble, and a significant boost in bilateral trade is being observed.

Dhaka University is the largest educational institution in Bangladesh. Recently, Bangladesh has allowed Pakistani students to enrol at Dhaka University. On the other hand, Pakistan has made it easier for Bangladeshi citizens and students to obtain visas and has announced excellent facilities for Bangladeshi students to gain admission to all educational institutions in Pakistan. Professor Saima Haq Bidesha, the Pro-Vice Chancellor of Dhaka University, stated that this decision was made in a syndicate meeting chaired by Vice Chancellor Professor Niaz Ahmed Khan on 13th November.

According to the new policy, Pakistani students will be able to gain admission to Dhaka University, and Bangladeshi students will be able to pursue education in Pakistan. Following this decision, it is being said that after the exit of Sheikh Hasina from power, the closeness between Pakistan and Bangladesh at various levels is steadily increasing.

It is important to note that, after the establishment of Bangladesh in 1971, for the first time, Pakistan’s maritime link with Bangladesh was restored when a Pakistani cargo ship arrived at the Chattogram port on the southeastern coast of Bangladesh from Karachi. Previously, maritime trade between the two countries used to take place via Singapore or Colombo.

Professor Seema Haq Bidesha told Dhaka Tribune, an English newspaper in Bangladesh, that “The relationship with Pakistan was not good on several levels due to Hasina’s hostility towards Pakistan and pressure from India, but Dhaka University is an educational institution. Many of our students want to go to Pakistan on scholarships. Many want to attend academic conferences. We have resolved this issue through dialogue. Regular relations with Pakistan have now been restored, and other institutions should also take steps in the national interest, which we have initiated.”

Dhaka University has played an important role in the history of Bangladesh. The voice of protests against governments in Bangladesh has also emerged from this university. In July-August of this year, the movement against Sheikh Hasina also started from Dhaka University. It is also notable that Indian intelligence agencies, particularly “RAW,” played an important role in the 1971 war from this university. During Pakistan’s military operation “Searchlight,” the students and faculty of Dhaka University were falsely targeted and propaganda was spread to incite the Bengali population.

Sheikh Hasina gained fame by using Dhaka University as the birthplace of Pakistan’s anti-movement with the help of her Indian masters. During Hasina’s government, it was demanded at the university that Pakistan apologise for the genocide in East Pakistan in 1971. This was not all, and under Hasina’s special orders, a ban was imposed on the admission of Pakistani students to Dhaka University in 2015. However, today, as fate and historical retribution would have it, Dhaka University has taken the lead in reversing all of Hasina’s orders. The university has allowed admissions for Pakistani students and also advised the country’s institutions to eliminate all anti-Pakistan measures.

After India’s failure in Bangladesh, they are desperately trying to spread various types of propaganda. They have accused Bangladesh’s interim government of orchestrating attacks on minorities, especially Hindus, and supporting Islamic extremists. The newly elected US President Donald Trump also expressed concerns about this issue to gain the sympathies of his Hindu voters during his election campaign.

In an interview with the Indian English newspaper “The Hindu” on 18th November, Bangladesh’s interim government chief advisor Mohammad Yunus dismissed the questions about attacks on Hindus as propaganda. He stated, “Trump has no proper information about Bangladesh and its minorities. This is being propagated worldwide, but when Trump learns the truth, he will be surprised. I don’t believe that the arrival of the new US president will change everything. If there has been a change in the US, similar changes have happened in Bangladesh too. In such a situation, one should wait a little. Our economy is on the right track, and the US will show a lot of interest in this.”

“The Hindu” asked him about the issue being raised by India, to which Mohammad Yunus replied, “My first conversation with Prime Minister Modi took place on 16th August. He too raised the issue of mistreatment of minorities in Bangladesh. I made it clear to him that this is all propaganda.” He further said, “Several journalists came here, and many people discussed tensions, but the reality is not what is being portrayed in the media. I don’t know who is behind this propaganda, but it has no connection with reality. After investigations, it was revealed that actually, it was the office of the ruling Awami League next to the temple from where stones were thrown at a crowd of students. In response, an angry mob threw stones back, which was falsely portrayed as an attack on the temple.”

India’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Pinak Ranjan Chakravarty, on 17th November during the “Bay of Bengal Conversation,” said that “Despite the violent change of power in Bangladesh, India’s economic, transport, energy, and public-level relations with Bangladesh remain positive. Our relations are multidimensional and not dependent on any one agenda.”

However, the new government’s stance in Bangladesh is being viewed positively in Pakistan. I believe that Sheikh Hasina’s departure from power is a good opportunity for Pakistan. India is not happy with Hasina’s exit. The Indian lobby in the US has become active, attempting to persuade the Trump administration to impose sanctions on Bangladesh. Most of the garments exported from Bangladesh are sent to the US. Trump has advocated for imposing tariffs, and if he imposes these tariffs, Bangladesh will suffer a significant loss.

The Beginning of Maritime Relations Between Bangladesh and Pakistan: A Step Towards Positive Economic Change

The commencement of maritime links between Bangladesh and Pakistan marks the beginning of a positive economic shift. This is the first time a Pakistani cargo ship has directly reached Chattogram. Previously, all traded between the two countries was routed through Singapore and Sri Lanka. This development has stirred a sense of unease and mourning in India. The leadership of Bangladesh now has a much more open mindset. It’s not that they are opposed to improving relations with India, but they have kept their options open, and why not enhance relations with Pakistan as well? The next step will be for trade and industrial organizations to visit each other, and it is possible that by next year, talks between the foreign secretaries of both countries will begin.

Bangladesh’s founder, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, was a staunch opponent of Pakistan. In fact, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman refused to engage in any dialogue with Pakistan’s President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto (who later became the Prime Minister) until Pakistan recognized Bangladesh. Initially, Pakistan also rejected Bangladesh’s independence, but there was a sudden change in Pakistan’s stance, and in February 1974, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) conference was held in Lahore.

At that time, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was the Prime Minister, and he formally invited Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Initially, Mujib refused the invitation but later accepted it. After this conference, a tripartite agreement was signed between India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan on April 9, 1974, to resolve the remaining issues from the 1971 war. Pakistan agreed to accept all non-Bengali citizens as per the terms of the India-Pakistan agreement of August 28, 1973. A statement was issued by Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Defence, acknowledging that any wrongdoings by the Pakistani military in Bangladesh were regrettable.

Zulfikar Ali Bhutto visited Dhaka in June 1974, during which Bangladesh raised the issue of asset division. This visit thawed the frozen relations between the two countries. Pakistan formally recognized Bangladesh on February 22, 1974. Bhutto announced this recognition during the OIC conference.

Announcing the recognition, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto said, “In the name of Allah and on behalf of the people of this country, we announce the recognition of Bangladesh. Tomorrow, a delegation will come, and we will embrace them on behalf of seventy million Muslims.” After this joint declaration, India’s investment in the creation of Bangladesh seemed to falter, and it was decided that while Bangladesh would be allowed to remain an independent country, India would retain full control. This resulted in all subsequent governments in Bangladesh, from Mujib-Ur-Rehman’s assassination to the rule of General Zia-Ur-Rehman, General Hussain Muhammad Ershad, Begum Zia, and finally Sheikh Hasina, facing continuous internal challenges. Throughout this period, Hasina Wajed, who had been raised in India after her father’s assassination, was brought into power, and India escalated its efforts to impose its policies on smaller neighboring states, with the aim of establishing itself as a regional superpower.

On January 14, 2025, for the first time, Bangladesh’s Armed Forces Division Principal Staff Officer, Lieutenant General SM Qamar Islam, met with Pakistan’s Army Chief, General Asim Munir, at the GHQ in Rawalpindi. During their meeting, they had detailed discussions on the changing security dynamics of the region and explored avenues for further military cooperation between the two countries. Both emphasized that the strategic partnership between the two brotherly nations should be unaffected by external influences.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka has successfully maintained its sovereignty while engaging in a friendly relationship with Pakistan and China, courageously standing up to India. Sri Lanka, which had been embroiled in civil war due to India’s proxy, the Tamil Tigers, has now completely freed itself from that struggle with the special assistance of Pakistani commandos. This has led to highly positive and friendly relations between the two nations. With the ongoing political changes in Bangladesh, India now fears that growing relations between China, Pakistan, and countries like Nepal, Bhutan, the Maldives, and Myanmar are rapidly undermining India’s dream of regional dominance. This is why India has again resorted to using Afghan Taliban and Iranian soil against Pakistan.

The question remains: Is Pakistan working with its neighboring country, China, to fully capitalize on these changing circumstances?