Claims of Khaleda Zia’s Son Meeting ISI Officials Prior to Hasina’s Government Downfall
An Indian media outlet has reported that Pakistan’s premier spy agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), played a role in the change of government in Bangladesh, citing an intelligence report.
According to India Today, Tarique Rahman, the acting chief of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, met with ISI officials in Saudi Arabia. These meetings were reportedly part of a broader plan to destabilize Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government and restore the BNP to power. The plan was allegedly drafted in London with the involvement of the intelligence agency.
Protests erupted in Bangladesh over a controversial quota system that reserved a significant number of government jobs for veterans’ families. Although the Supreme Court reduced these quotas, the protests escalated into a larger anti-government movement, resulting in violent clashes. Social media played a critical role in the unrest, with many anti-Hasina posts originating from accounts based in Pakistan and the United States, according to the Indian report.
The report further claims that the Islami Chhatra Shibir (ICS), the student wing of Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh, has alleged ties to the ISI. The protests turned deadly, resulting in over 300 deaths and hundreds of injuries. As the situation worsened, Hasina resigned, and the military took control. President Mohammed Shahabuddin announced the formation of an interim government, dissolved Parliament, and ordered the release of Khaleda Zia.
