“How post-Hasina Bangladesh has become a theatre of Islamism and foreign interference”, First Post, March 22, 2026
“In the aftermath of the August 5, 2024, upheaval—widely described by observers as a jihadist-backed power shift—Bangladesh has entered a volatile new phase. What was once an internal political struggle has increasingly transformed into a complex geopolitical contest, where foreign powers are vying for influence through local intermediaries, particularly Islamist networks.
At the heart of this contest lies Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI), widely regarded as an ideological offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood. While JeI continues to participate in electoral politics, its long-term ideological objective—establishing a Sharia-based state—raises serious concerns about the direction of Bangladesh’s political future.
Three major actors—China, Turkey, and the United States—have emerged as key players in Bangladesh’s evolving political landscape. Despite their global rivalries, these nations appear to share a tactical convergence in leveraging local actors to expand influence…….”
Read full article at firstpost.com
