Bangladesh Army Chief Gen Waker-uz-Zaman Halts Saudi Visit Over Tensions

Amid concerns of unrest following the arrest of 14 senior Bangladesh Army officers, Chief of Army Staff General Waker-uz-Zaman has cancelled his planned five-day visit to Saudi Arabia, which was scheduled to begin on October 14.

In a related development, a four-member team from the Indian Army’s Military Intelligence unit, led by Major General Kundan Kumar Singh, is expected in Dhaka for a two-day visit between October 14 and 16. This marks the first major visit by a key Indian military delegation since the interim government, headed by Mohammad Yunus, took office on August 8, 2024.

During their stay, the Indian officers will hold high-level meetings with various branches of the Bangladesh military, including the Armed Forces Division, Air Force, Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI), Army Aviation Group, and the 10th Infantry Division.

The internal tension within the Bangladesh Army escalated following the arrest of 14 officers — holding ranks from major to major general — on October 11. These arrests were ordered by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) on October 8 and carried out under the directive of General Zaman.

One officer, Major General Kabir Ahmed, is suspected to have evaded arrest and gone into hiding.

The ICT’s directive reportedly caused significant unrest within the army's officer corps. On October 9, at a gathering of 57 generals, four officers openly opposed any move to detain the 24 officers charged with enforced disappearances, secret detentions, and torture during former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s 15-year rule. The meeting exposed deep divisions within the military leadership, marked by anger, frustration, and disappointment.

In light of the volatile situation, Gen Zaman, who had earlier cancelled a visit to New Delhi scheduled for October 12–14, also decided to cancel the Saudi Arabia trip on October 10. Sources confirmed the trip would be rescheduled.

The purpose of the Saudi visit was to discuss potential deployment of Bangladeshi troops for a peacekeeping mission in a location within the kingdom currently hosting around 7,000 US troops. With these US forces expected to withdraw soon, Bangladesh viewed the mission as a strategic opportunity to expand its peacekeeping role, especially under the United Nations banner.

The US military maintains a significant presence across the Middle East, with permanent and temporary facilities in at least 19 locations, including eight bases in Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. An estimated 40,000–50,000 US troops are stationed in the region, primarily across Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and the UAE.

A military source stated, “Gen Zaman does not want to take any chances by leaving the country during this sensitive time. Although he is not scheduled to meet the visiting Indian Army officers, he will remain in Dhaka to closely monitor the fallout from the arrests.”

General Zaman’s domestic engagements between October 22 and 30 — including the 66th Infantry Division review and annual Commanding Officers’ conferences in Qadirabad and Chittagong — will proceed as scheduled.

Source: Northeast News