New Delhi/Dhaka: Security and intelligence agencies are closely monitoring developments in Bangladesh following reports of attempts to create an extremist armed outfit aimed at reshaping the country’s internal security structure. According to intelligence inputs, a proposed force—referred to as the National Armed Reserve (NAR)—is allegedly being planned with the objective of enforcing a radical interpretation of Sharia law and exerting control over the country’s law-and-order machinery.
Sources claim the proposed force could comprise over 8,000 radicalised youths and may eventually be positioned as an alternative to the existing police system. Intelligence officials suggest that the initiative is being pushed by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) with the backing of sections of the Pakistani military, though no official confirmation has been issued by the governments involved.
According to these inputs, Pakistan is allegedly exploring the creation of both a radical police wing and an armed force in Bangladesh, while efforts are reportedly underway to identify individuals with strong ideological alignment and loyalty towards Pakistan.
Intelligence sources further allege that Brigadier (retd) Abdullahil Aman Azmi, son of late Jamaat-e-Islami leader Golam Azam, has been identified to play a key role in this strategy. Azmi is believed to have held multiple meetings with Pakistani officials and diplomats in Dhaka and is reportedly being considered for an advisory role in Bangladesh’s Home Ministry, which could later transition into a leadership position within the proposed force.
Officials have also flagged increased diplomatic activity involving Pakistani officials in Dhaka since the change in political leadership, including meetings at the Banani Officers’ Housing Scheme. One such meeting on December 23, involving Pakistan’s Deputy High Commissioner Mohammad Wasim, is said to have drawn particular attention.
Intelligence agencies warn that these developments could be aimed at influencing or destabilising Bangladesh’s electoral process ahead of the scheduled February 2026 elections. The alleged strategy, sources claim, is to retain effective control through security institutions even if a democratically elected government is in place.
While authorities caution that many of these efforts may not succeed, they stress that the situation remains sensitive. Indian intelligence agencies are said to be maintaining heightened vigilance, noting concerns over misinformation campaigns and attempts to infiltrate key institutions.
Officials emphasise that the information is based on intelligence assessments and remains subject to further verification as the situation evolves.
