Pakistan Navy Commodore Arrives in Dhaka on December 6, Travels to Chittagong Shortly After

Barely two weeks after the National Security Advisers of Bangladesh and India met in New Delhi, visits by senior Pakistani defence officials to Dhaka continue at an unusual pace.

The latest visitor is Commodore Zia ur Rehman, Commandant of the Pakistan Naval Academy. He arrived at Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on December 6, accompanied by Pakistan Navy Lieutenant Commander Noman Aslam and two cadet officers.

The four-member delegation travelled on Emirates flight EK-582, which landed at 8:20 am. They are scheduled to depart Bangladesh on December 8.

This marks the third recent visit by senior Pakistan Navy officers. Pakistan Navy Chief Admiral Naveed Ashraf visited Bangladesh in the third week of November.

It remains unclear whether India’s NSA Ajit Doval raised concerns during his recent meeting with Bangladesh’s NSA Major General (retd) Khalilur Rahman regarding the frequent arrival of senior Pakistani military personnel. Earlier reports suggested Doval handed over a dossier detailing suspected hideouts of Islamist extremist elements in Bangladesh.

Sources indicate that these rapid invitations to Pakistani defence officials were initiated by Lieutenant General S M Kamrul Hassan, the Principal Staff Officer of Bangladesh’s Armed Forces Division, with full approval from Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus and Army Chief General Waker-uz-Zaman.

In parallel with the increased interactions, Bangladesh’s armed forces have continued upgrading the Lalmonirhat airbase—located only about 20 km from India’s sensitive Siliguri Corridor—despite earlier public assurances in May 2025 that the facility would not be developed in ways that might threaten India. New infrastructure, including a large hangar and residential facilities, has been constructed within the 1,166-acre base.

Additionally, the Bangladesh Air Force has advanced plans to procure Chinese fighter jets from both Pakistan and China, as well as offensive drones and missile systems from Turkey and China.

Since January 2025, senior officers from Pakistan’s Army, Navy, Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, and ISI have made multiple visits to Bangladesh. Admiral Ashraf’s November trip included the docking of Pakistan’s guided missile frigate PNS Saif at Chittagong Port for three days.

Conversely, senior Bangladesh Navy officials—including Chattogram Naval Area Commander Rear Admiral Moinul Hasan—visited Pakistan on November 23 for high-level “Navy-to-Navy Staff Talks,” where a “Terms of Agreement” was signed for an undisclosed purpose.

Rear Admiral Hasan’s departure to Islamabad coincided with a meeting in Dhaka between Heavy Industries Taxila Chairman Lt Gen Shakir Ullah Khattak and Bangladesh Army Chief General Waker-uz-Zaman.

Following their arrival in Dhaka, Commodore Zia ur Rehman and his delegation travelled to Chittagong by road. According to official documents reviewed by Northeast News, the team is being provided round-the-clock security by Bangladesh’s Special Branch during their stay.

Source: Northeast News