Key Points

The Jamaat-e-Islami, at the behest of the ISI, coaxed the Muhammad Yunus government to stitch a closer alliance with Turkey. The intention is to ensure that there is a flow of funds and arms, and ammunition from Turkey into Bangladesh.

The Indian agencies say that Bangladesh has become the fourth-largest buyer of Turkish weapons. This is a worrying sign because the weapons would be used against India, and this is what the Jamaat and ISI have been planning. While India has all the capabilities to beat down such aggression, the problem is that the armed forces would have to deal with an unwanted issue.

Ties between India and Bangladesh were solid as long as Sheikh Hasina was in power. The border was largely secure, and the forces of both sides would work seamlessly.

After Yunus was made caretaker of the interim government of Bangladesh, the trust issues with India have become immense. Yunus has only pointed out that the ties have worsened because India provided Hasina asylum. The ISI has been ruling the roost in Bangladesh as it can control Yunus through the Jamaat.

While the rising ISI presence in Bangladesh has kept the Indian agencies on its toes, this new dimension with Turkey jumping into the picture is a major cause for concern.

Turkey has always been a backer of both Pakistan and, on several occasions, supported Bangladesh, where the Rohingya refugee issues are concerned. Signs of the bond between the two countries strengthening were visible when a Turkish delegation led by Haluk Gorgun, president of the Defence Industry Agency, met with Yunus and other heads of the Bangladesh armed forces. The two sides discussed defence cooperation and procurement of equipment that included the Bayraktar TB-2 drones, TRG-300 rocket systems, artillery shells, infantry rifles and machine guns.

Further, Turkey also assured that it would build two defence complexes in Narayanganj and Chittagong. These developments have given terror organisations in Bangladesh a major boost. Despite Pakistan carrying out the Pahalgam attack, Turkey has always backed Islamabad. When the Indian armed forces carried out Operation Sindoor to avenge the Pahalgam attack, Turkey had openly backed Pakistan.

Radical elements in Bangladesh feel that they would always have the backing of Turkey, even if they provoke India with a terror strike. These developments also come in the backdrop of terror outfits such as the Ansarullah Bangla Team, Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen and Harkat-ul-Jihad-Islami Bangladesh raising their ugly head in recent months. Many leaders of these outfits were released from jail despite committing heinous crimes in the aftermath of the Hasina ouster.

Indian agencies say that it was evident that these decisions to release leaders of proscribed terror groups were taken by Yunus only at the behest of the Jamaat. The Jamaat has always propagated violence against India and has worked closely with the ISI to create problems for India.

Following the Liberation War, both the Jamaat and ISI had planned on large-scale illegal immigration with the intention of creating demographic changes that would lead to communal tensions in India.

Intelligence Bureau officials say that this new alignment, comprising Bangladesh, Turkey and Pakistan, is a worrying signal. These defence agreements should be seen in a broader light, as there is every chance that they may go into the wrong hands.

Although the Bangladesh army realises its limitations when it comes to fighting the Indian armed forces, the issue is that today, the ISI calls the shots. The Pakistani spy agency, with the help of the Jamaat, would encourage radical terror groups to carry out attacks in India. They feel that they would have Ankara’s back in the event of India retaliating against any attack on its soil.

- IANS