Bangladesh's Overall National Security is in the Red Zone - BIDS Webinar Speakers

During a webinar organized by the Bangladesh Institute of Development and Security Studies (BIDS) on Sunday, experts raised concerns about the current state of Bangladesh's national security. The speakers claimed that every aspect of the nation's security is now in a "red zone." Over the last 15 years, intelligence agencies have reportedly shifted their focus from national security to serving the interests of the ruling party, the Bangladesh Awami League.

The discussants highlighted the growing threat of "information terrorism" from neighboring states, suggesting that Bangladesh's national security is under direct and indirect assault. Mohammad Imran Hossain (Ansary), the director of BIDS, inaugurated the event with a welcome speech, moderated by journalist Jimi Amir. The panel included M. Shahiduzzaman, a former professor of international relations at Dhaka University, and an open-source intelligence expert, as well as Dr. Fahim Sufi.

Imran Ansary opened the discussion by referencing historical and geopolitical challenges, including India’s ambitions to establish a uniform radical Hindu state across South Asia, a vision proposed by Binayak Damodar Savarkar in 1925. He emphasized that these ambitions have directly and indirectly affected Bangladesh’s society, politics, economy, and culture. Ansary also addressed issues like India's water encroachment and Myanmar's violation of Bangladesh’s airspace, alongside the challenge of hosting two million Rohingya refugees.

Shahiduzzaman critiqued the last 15 years of military policy, suggesting that it has been overly dependent on India. He argued that Bangladesh’s military personnel have been forced into dependency through mandatory training in India, and claimed that a party force has been formed by recruiting Awami League cadres into the National Security Intelligence. He emphasized the need for the post-revolutionary government to reassess these issues.

Dr. Fahim Sufi presented a detailed analysis of the information campaigns that have surged since the mass protests in Bangladesh. He noted a 350% increase in information operations by the Awami League and its allies, particularly in the realm of misinformation on minority issues. He proposed a comprehensive national strategy to counter these threats, including collaborations with social media platforms, the creation of a Rapid Response Team, and international intelligence sharing.

The BIDS, which began its journey in 2023 as a project of Ansary Academy USA, aims to continue these important discussions on national security and development.