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Alleging that Pakistan used Bangladesh as a terror transit point against India between 2001 and 2006, former Bangladesh Minister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury on Monday claimed that the current objective, following the ouster of the Sheikh Hasina government, is to turn Bangladesh into a "vassal state" of Pakistan's spy agency, the ISI.
In an exclusive interview with ANI, Chowdhury accused the Yunus government of "cosying up" to extremist elements of Pakistan -- the ISI, the military, the Punjabi elite. Chowdhury is a former aide to Bangladesh's former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Organising Secretary of the Bangladesh Awami League. He was forced to leave the country last year following the coup that ousted Sheikh Hasina's government. The takeover paved the way for Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus to assume charge. When asked about Pakistan and Bangladesh's growing ties, Chowdhury lambasted the "freedom democracy-minded, human-rights-selling" Yunus for his silence on Imran Khan, the former Pakistan PM who is detained by this criminal intelligence service, and on the situation of Balochistan. "They don't want to say anything about them, because they only want to cosy up to the extremist elements of Pakistan -- the ISI, the military, the Punjabi elite of Pakistan -- who have been exploiting that country for the last seventy-five years. This is not about principles, values, or friendship. It is about turning Bangladesh into a vassal state," he said. Chowdhury recalled that when the Awami League started the process of bringing the perpetrators of genocide to accountability and justice, Pakistan vehemently protested and started their ISIS activities within the country. "When the BNP and Jamaat were ruling the country from 2001 to 2006, they used Bangladesh as a transit point to export arms, weaponry, and terrorism into India," Chowdhury said, indiciating there is a repeat of this is happening now. In recent months, Pakistan has been seen making concerted efforts to rebuild and expand its ties with Bangladesh, particularly after the change of regime in Dhaka. Islamabad has stepped up diplomatic outreach and engagement, seeking to regain its foothold in a country it once ruled before 1971. Many senior Pakistani officials have visited Bangladesh, including Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, who held talks with Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus in August, and senior military officials such as Pakistan Navy Chief Admiral Naveed Ashraf. Chowdhury also noted that Bangladesh is not a country where Pakistan is warmly received, and there is not much sympathy for Pakistan. "Yet, out of nowhere, suddenly, there is increased military cooperation. I mean, we know what the Pakistan military is all about -- it's just a front for the ISI. Most of the Pakistani military officers serve in the Inter-Services Intelligence, which is their main military intelligence service responsible for exporting terrorism abroad," he mentioned. "And such an organisation is now being allowed to open desks in Bangladesh. During our government's time, Pakistan did not send their ISI officials anymore, because their cover would be exposed. And now they are opening up their desks here -- for what reason? The sole purpose is to turn Bangladesh into a vassal state of the ISI," he added. (ANI)
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