Outline
The ISI covert war in Bangladesh is entering a dangerous new phase as Pakistani handlers, Jamaat networks and LeT operatives coordinate pre-election destabilisation efforts. Recent intelligence assessments indicate a marked resurgence of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) activities in Bangladesh, signalling a strategic effort to influence domestic stability ahead of upcoming elections. Credible sources reveal that dormant militant networks, previously inactive, are being reactivated with substantial flows of funding, weapons and explosives. The pattern suggests a meticulously coordinated campaign aimed at fomenting unrest and undermining democratic processes, rather than isolated acts of interference. Reports also highlight the involvement of local extremist groups, including Jamaat-affiliated networks, in executing this destabilisation blueprint. Analysts caution that the operation represents a full-scale covert strategy designed to exploit political vulnerabilities, heighten communal tensions and destabilise governance structures. The evolving footprint of the ISI underscores the urgency of proactive counter-intelligence measures to safeguard national security and maintain electoral integrity in Bangladesh. India requires effective countermeasures against Pakistan’s broader strategy of regional disruption.
Escalation Warning: Foreign Militant Reinforcements Incoming
Credible intelligence sources suggest that in the coming week, an 11‑member Lashkar‑e‑Taiba (LeT) team will enter Bangladesh from Pakistan‑Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (PoJK), marking a dangerous escalation. According to intelligence reports and open‑source coverage, LeT’s senior commander Saifullah Saif has indicated that operatives are already active in “East Pakistan” (a jihadist reference to Bangladesh), while affirming that Hafiz Saeed is “preparing to attack India through Bangladesh.” Srinagar‑based analysts and Indian sources warn that LeT is now deploying foreign‑trained assault cadres, not merely ideological agents, to open a new operational front. Intelligence further alleges that LeT has dispatched a close associate of Saeed to Bangladesh to radicalize local youth, provide jihadist training and build an infrastructure for cross‑border militancy.
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Covert Pakistani Operatives Entering Bangladesh Under Civilian Covers
Intelligence reports reveal that Lt Gen (Retd) Tabassum Habib entered Bangladesh on 6 October 2025 using a civilian passport (CL6038800), underscoring a deliberate pattern of infiltration rather than formal diplomacy. During his stay, he is alleged to have conducted clandestine meetings with Ansar Al Islam leader Jasimuddin Rahmani, cementing links between Pakistani operatives and local extremist leadership. His departure on 19 November aboard flight QR641 coincided precisely with the exit of other suspected ISI coordinators - a synchronized timeline aligned with Bangladesh’s election cycle. These movements, traced through immigration and travel data, strongly suggest a mission‑specific deployment of intelligence personnel under civilian guises, aimed at influencing internal security dynamics.
Political Operatives with Intelligence Mandates
Two Pakistani nationals with significant political and security backgrounds made a covert entry and exit, deepening the operational complexity. Asad Mahmood, a former Member of Parliament (Passport: JP0158106) and Shah Baz Humaira, Adviser to Pakistan’s Prime Minister (Passport: DV5144316), travelled without declaring their purpose. Both entered and exited by November 16, their travel windows precisely overlapping with the movements of ISI-linked military operatives. This synchronization across multiple agencies highlights a coordinated inter-agency operation, reflecting covert political and intelligence activities. The silent nature of their visit, combined with their influential roles and the overlap with military operatives, raises concerns over hidden strategic motives, signalling a deepening intelligence mandate and a sophisticated operational strategy behind their movements.
Helicopter Reconnaissance Along the India-Bangladesh Border
An eight-member ISI team rented helicopters from a Bangladeshi aviation company to conduct aerial reconnaissance along sensitive sections of the India-Bangladesh border. These route-profiling sorties aimed to assess infiltration routes, identify supply and drop zones and map exfiltration corridors. The reconnaissance was critical for operational planning, enhancing movement coordination across the border. A confirmed meeting in Kosba, Cumilla, involving three India-based militants, highlights a coordinated effort to weave cross-border operations. This activity suggests a sophisticated network linking Pakistani intelligence, local assets and Indian militants, aiming to strengthen infiltration and operational capabilities along this volatile frontier. The use of helicopters for these covert missions underlines the increasing complexity and strategic nature of intelligence-driven cross-border maneuvers.
The ISI Covert Action Cell Inside Bangladesh
Personnel with covert intelligence and operational roles from Pakistan's ISI covert action cell entered Bangladesh on 14 November 2025, including Brigadier Shoeb Asif Khan, Afzaal Ahmed Khan, Raja Irfan Yaseen, Muhammad Ashraf Shahid, Syed Saqib Murtaza, Muhammad Meraj, Lt Col (Retd) Waqar Ur Rahman, and Ubed Ullah. This roster clearly signifies an active covert action detachment rather than a benign visit, marking the boldest ISI penetration into Bangladesh in recent years. Their presence highlights Pakistan’s expanding hybrid warfare strategy in the region, using Bangladesh as a critical staging ground for destabilization and cross-border operations against India, reflecting deep intelligence and military coordination.
Jamaat’s Parallel Militant Preparations
Jamaat’s militant network inside Bangladesh is reportedly intensifying preparations by activating paramilitary-trained “action committees” and stockpiling weapons in rural safehouses. They are forming district-level disruption squads and exploring Rohingya corridors for logistics support, synchronizing activities with foreign handlers. This pattern of militant buildup mirrors the 1971 escalation but involves far more lethal and modern tools. Jamaat’s nexus with militant activities signifies a dangerous resurgence aimed at destabilizing the country through coordinated local and cross-border efforts, relying on well-armed cadres and external support to advance their extremist agenda and operational reach.
Conclusion
The presence of ISI operatives, Pakistani political envoys, helicopter reconnaissance teams, Indian militant contacts, Jamaat mobilization and the anticipated arrival of an 11 member LeT strike unit from PoK together form a comprehensive and integrated destabilization network. If activated, this architecture has the capacity to orchestrate coordinated communal riots, high-impact terror strikes, targeted assassination attempts, border sabotage and large-scale pre-election destabilization. Such a consolidated network reflects sophisticated planning and deep inter-agency collaboration aimed at destabilizing Bangladesh and impacting regional security, primarily targeting India’s eastern border. Its activation poses a severe threat to political stability and public safety, signalling a multi-front hybrid warfare strategy embedded in South Asia’s geopolitics.
References:
https://www.indiandefensenews.in/2025/11/let-terrorist-hafiz-saeeds-network-eyes.html
https://weeklyblitz.net/2025/11/24/jamaat-emir-warns-genocide-during-election-day-in-bangladesh/
https://x.com/SarwarWassel/status/1992971966295556540