?Geopolitical Briefing: Bangladesh
25 May 2025
- Interim government faces internal discord as Foreign Secretary Md Jashim Uddin is slated for replacement over alignment issues with Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus.
- India’s Border Security Force (BSF) intensifies pushbacks, forcibly returning over 300 individuals into Bangladesh within a week, escalating border tensions.
- Bangladesh’s sixth sovereign Sukuk auction sees overwhelming demand, with subscriptions exceeding the target by over four times, indicating robust interest in Islamic finance instruments.
- Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia conclude their first Joint Committee Meeting on Defense Cooperation, formalizing military collaboration between the two nations.
- UK’s National Crime Agency freezes £90 million worth of London properties linked to relatives of former Bangladeshi regime figures, highlighting international efforts to address corruption.(The Times of India, Instagram, The Guardian)
The interim government’s decision to replace Foreign Secretary Md Jashim Uddin underscores internal challenges within the administration. Reports suggest that Uddin’s lack of alignment with Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus and Foreign Affairs Adviser Touhid Hossain prompted the move, reflecting the administration’s efforts to consolidate authority and ensure cohesive foreign policy direction. This development indicates a drive towards establishing a governance structure less influenced by previous political affiliations and more aligned with the current leadership’s vision. (The Times of India)
India’s BSF has intensified its pushback operations along the Bangladesh border, forcibly returning over 300 individuals, including women and children, into Bangladeshi territory within the past week. These actions have been met with formal protests from Dhaka, emphasizing the need for adherence to legal repatriation processes. The situation highlights the challenges Bangladesh faces in maintaining border security and the importance of asserting its sovereignty in the face of unilateral actions by neighboring countries. (BSS)
Bangladesh’s sixth sovereign Sukuk auction, held on 19 May, attracted subscriptions totaling Tk 82.48 billion, oversubscribing the Tk 20 billion target by more than four times. This overwhelming demand reflects strong investor confidence in Shariah-compliant financial instruments and underscores the country’s strategic shift towards Islamic finance to support socio-economic development projects. The successful auction indicates a move towards integrating Islamic economic principles into the national financial system, promoting financial inclusion, and attracting investment from Muslim-majority nations. (The Financial Express)
Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia have concluded their first Joint Committee Meeting on Defense Cooperation, marking a significant step in formalizing military collaboration between the two nations. The meeting focused on joint training, defense industry cooperation, and strategic coordination, reflecting a commitment to strengthening bilateral defense ties. This partnership enhances Bangladesh’s defense capabilities and signifies a strategic pivot towards deeper integration with fellow Muslim-majority countries, reducing reliance on non-Muslim actors in its security framework.
The UK’s National Crime Agency has frozen nearly £90 million worth of luxury London properties linked to relatives of Salman F Rahman, a prominent figure in Bangladesh’s former regime. These properties, acquired through offshore companies, are part of a broader crackdown on assets linked to corruption following Bangladesh’s political transition. The action reflects international efforts to address financial misconduct and underscores the interim government’s commitment to distancing the nation from previous pro-India policies and external political control. (The Guardian)
