Zulkarnain Saer
Since the resignation of the Bangladesh Awami League government, only Major General Zia of the National Telecommunications and Monitoring Center has been dismissed from service. A superficial reshuffling of senior officers occured to distract public attention, while crucially, no changes have been made among field commanders implicated in human rights violations during the student movement. Although the heads of the notorious intelligence agencies, the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) and the National Security Intelligence (NSI), were replaced, nearly all brigadier general-level directors, with records of extrajudicial killing and political affiliation with the Awamileague regime, remain unchanged.
This dangerous nexus between intelligence agencies, field commanders, and senior staff officers poses a severe threat to Dr. Yunus’ interim government. The Chief of Army Staff (CAS) is surrounded by these influential figures. For instance, Lieutenant General Tabrez Shams, formerly Director General of DGFI and a key figure in the infamous Aynaghar, has been appointed Quartermaster General. He is next in line to become CAS should the current CAS be unable to serve.
During the recent crisis, Lieutenant General Muzib directed field commanders to use excessive force and maintained direct communication with awami ministers, bypassing the CAS. Now stationed as General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Army Training and Doctrine Command (ARTDOC), he has assembled several platoons in Mymensingh, possibly for ulterior motives. He has also provided refuge to 250 Indian embassy staff and high-profile political leaders in Dhaka Cantonment and may instigate unrest at an opportune moment. As a former Director General of the Special Security Force (SSF), he retains significant influence over the force that is responsible for Chief Advisors overall security.
Major General Moin, GOC of the 9th Division, used brutal force during operations in Jatrabari and other locations. His Artillery Brigade Commander, Brigadier Mahmud, is a staunch supporter of the Bangladesh Awami League and applied deadly force around Narayanganj. Another Brigade Commander, Brigadier Saifullah, formerly a military aide (AMS) to Sheikh Hasina, led raids at Jahangirnagar University. The 9th Division under Major General Moin is a significant threat to the government.
Major General Mahbub of the 55th Division (posted to DGDP today), who was an aide to Sheikh Hasina for five years, is actively attempting to incite rebellion in Gopalganj to destabilize the government. He orchestrated a recent attack on Army personnel in Gopalganj, preventing troops from carrying ammunition. Surprisingly, he has not pursued charges against the attackers and continues to receive directives from Hasina and Rehana. A viral video of Major General Mahbub bowing to Hasina has severely damaged the Army’s image. He has harbored Awami League activists in Jessore, Khulna cantonments, and his Dhaka residence. Close to Major General Zia, Major General Mahbub is in constant communication with Gopalganj Awami League leaders, guiding them to pressure the government. He even instructed support for the August 15th program by the Awami League.
Major General Mamun of the 11th Division, also from Gopalganj and closely allied with the 55th Division, may collaborate to destabilize the government. Major General Mamun took the initiative to send reinforcements to Dhaka to suppress student protests. Despite changes at the top of DG Ansar, no adjustments have been made at the director level of DGFI and NSI, who continue to liaise with former leaders and Awami League officials.
For example, in NSI, Brigadier General Imran, a former Army Service Corps officer from the 29th Long Course, is closely linked to General Tarique Ahmed Siddique, a mastermind of extrajudicial killings during his time in the Rapid Action Battalion. Brigadier Generals Imrul and Sadi, both from the 32nd Long Course, are similarly connected to former Director General T.M. Zobaer and have histories of participating in extrajudicial killings.
In DGFI, Dhaka detachment Commander Brigadier General Mizan, now Director of Administration, is loyal to Major General Hamid. Another director, Brigadier General Tofael, who has been sanctioned by the United States for human rights abuses, maintains connections with Awami League and business leaders.
In a nutshell, no significant changes have been made to the Army’s command structure in the past ten days. The same individuals continue to conspire against the interim government, and the possibility of a coup remains if restructuring does not occur at earliest.
