Founded in 1982 as a welfare body for retired Bangladeshi commissioned officers, the Retired Armed Forces Officers’ Welfare Association (RAOWA) once operated comfortably within the boundaries of professional representation. It offered community to veterans, focusing on pensions and health. Over the past few years, however- accelerated by Pakistan-backed factions within Bangladesh's military circles- this identity has morphed into a political battering ram, echoing the sanyasi-fakir resistance of old: a disciplined cadre challenging perceived "hegemonic" powers, now with Delhi in the crosshairs.

Image Courtesy: https://www.raowa.org/

RAOWA's public messaging now drips with national security alarmism, questioning Bangladesh's ties with India while amplifying Pakistan-aligned narratives of sovereignty and autonomy. Its prestige as a veterans' network amplifies this shift, blurring lines between retired advocacy and partisan warfare in a tense pre-election landscape.

Leadership Under Col. Hoque: Pakistan's Quiet Influence Takes Root

This evolution tracks the rise of Colonel Mohammad Abdul Hoque, psc (Retd), who leads the 2025-26 Executive Committee alongside a cadre of retired officers. Formally elected, Hoque's tenure has hosted events laced with suspicion toward Bangladesh's intelligence apparatus and foreign policy- rhetoric that mirrors Islamabad's playbook of stoking border tensions to weaken India's regional hold.

Pakistan-backed Bangladeshi officers, often networked through shared training and covert channels, have reportedly funnelled ideological momentum into RAOWA. By late 2024, its Mohakhali headquarters hosted rallies under the National Unity and Solidarity Council banner, where veterans chanted "Delhi no, Dhaka yes!"- a direct nod to anti-India fervour. These gatherings, attended by figures linked to BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami, position RAOWA as a mobilizer, much like the sanyasis rallying peasants against East India Company revenue tyranny.

The Hadi Shooting: RAOWA's Electoral Windfall on December 12, 2025

The assassination of (prominent figure Hadi) on December 12, 2025, handed RAOWA a golden opportunity. Framed by association spokespeople as fallout from "Indian meddling" and civilian governance failures, the attack fits neatly into their narrative. Pre-election violence like this- escalating street clashes and security breakdowns- serves Pakistan-backed officers' long game: portraying partisan politicians as chaotic incompetents, unfit to govern.

RAOWA gains directly. By amplifying the incident through its 5,261 members and vast networks (spanning business, media and civil society), it disrupts polls, sows public panic and justifies an expanded "guardian" role for the military or technocratic proxies. Historical echoes abound: just as Vande Mataram fuelled sanyasi defiance against British economic strangleholds, RAOWA repurposes veteran prestige to challenge India's influence, positioning armed forces alumni as Bangladesh's true stabilizers.

'Seven Sisters' Provocations: Inflaming Borders for Strategic Gain

Col. Hoque's rhetoric has veered into dangerous territory, with allegations he endorsed calls to fracture India's "Seven Sisters" Northeast- a claim gaining traction amid RAOWA's anti-India drumbeat. Whether calculated provocation or loose talk, it dovetails with Pakistan's ISI tactics: exploit border fault lines to divert Dhaka from cooperation with New Delhi.

These statements, aired at RAOWA events, ripple into serving ranks and public opinion. With Pakistan whispering through backchannels to sympathetic officers, the group risks turning ideological drift into operational friction- hardening bilateral distrust at a fragile moment.

Ideological Drift and Pakistan's Hand: Internal Fractures Exposed

RAOWA's Mohakhali venues now pulse with sharper foreign policy critiques, drawing BNP-Jamaat affiliates and hinting at factional splits over its confrontational path. Press leaks reveal quiet disputes, but the dominant line- autonomy from "external threats"- aligns with Pakistan's goal of fracturing India-Bangladesh ties.

This isn't organic evolution; it's steered. Pakistan-backed officers leverage RAOWA's clout to seed narratives that echo across cantonments, retired communities, and Dhaka's chattering classes, priming the ground for military intervention if elections falter.

Strategic Fallout: Pre-Election Chaos as Military Power Play

The Hadi shooting exemplifies RAOWA's gains. Escalating violence lets it argue for "stability" under military-aligned technocrats - sidestepping messy democracy while eroding India's goodwill. Bilateral frictions mount: shared borders strain under rhetoric that invites Pakistani opportunism, much like historical rebels inviting foreign patrons against colonial foes.

External actors smell blood. Pakistan can exploit this to weaken India's stance, funnelling support to RAOWA proxies without fingerprints. Bangladesh's cohesion frays as veterans' prestige lends cover to destabilization.

RAOWA at the Abyss: Time for Reckoning

From welfare haven to Pakistan-nurtured anti-India outpost, RAOWA under Col. Hoque mirrors the sanyasi awakening- fierce, mobilized, but now perilously politicized. The Hadi attack's exploitation underscores the stakes: unchecked, it fuels election sabotage, elevates military "guardians" and invites regional meddlers. Dhaka must scrutinize this drift, reining in politicized veterans before they fracture internal unity and ignite border tinderboxes vital to both nations.

References

https://tfipost.com/2025/12/how-raowa-turned-against-india-the-veteran-lobby-fueling-dangerous-narratives-in-bangladesh/

https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/dhaka-summons-indian-envoy-over-anti-election-activities-fugitive-political-figures

https://www.observerbd.com/news/558228

https://dfrac.org/en/2025/01/31/from-allies-to-adversaries-the-anti-india-wave-in-bangladesh/