Despite acute economic hardship and possible bankruptcy, Pakistan’s notorious spy agency Inter-Service Intelligence (ISI) reportedly is misusing loans received from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) towards political manipulation and terrorist acts in foreign nations, particularly Bharat and Bangladesh.

Atif Mian, a noted Pakistani-American economist and currently a professor of Economics, Public Policy, and Finance at Princeton University said that Pakistan “is bankrupt” and “sinking deeper every year”.

According to a source, prior to Bangladesh’s January 7 general elections, a key official of Pakistani ISI held a meeting with pro-Islamist Jatiya Party in Dubai when ISI established a secret connection between Jatiya Party and Al Qaeda-connected Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). Jatiya Party’s chairman, GM Quader and two of his key confidantes were present during this Dubai rendezvous. In presence of the ISI official, Jatiya Party’s chairman GM Quader held prolonged discussion with BNP’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman via Skype.

Tarique Rahman, a convicted terrorist living in London since 2007 was actively involved in supplying weapons and explosives to United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) during 2001-2006 rule of an Islamist coalition comprising Bangladesh Nationalist Party and Jamaat-e-Islami. He also coordinated a months-long secret trip of Al Qaeda kingpin Ayman al-Zawahiri to Bangladesh.

It may be mentioned here that on November 3, 2008 in a classified cable to the Department of State from former ambassador James Moriarty, it was said that “Tarique Rahman, the notorious and widely feared son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia… is a symbol of kleptocratic government and violent politics in Bangladesh.  His flagrant disregard for the rule of law has provided potent ground for terrorists to gain a foothold in Bangladesh while also exacerbating poverty and weakening democratic institutions. In short, much of what is wrong in Bangladesh can be blamed on Tarique and his cronies”.

This very same Tarique Rahman, who is a convicted terrorist with two life sentences is the current leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and currently instigating and instructing violent political activities in Bangladesh, through means of radical Islamist parties like the Jamaat-e-Islam (JeI).

The same source claimed, in December 2023, covert operative of Pakistani ISI met Jatiya Party chairman GM Quader in Dhaka city’s Gulshan area during late hours of night and delivered Taka 150 million in cash for using it in sabotaging January 7 general elections. Despite the country’s financial bankruptcy, ISI officials reportedly assured GM Quader for additional cash once he succeeds in ousting Awami League from power with active support from BNP.

The source further said, an ISI officer came with the cash in a black-color van. Although GM Quader received the amount from ISI for sabotaging the election, he had instead smuggled it out to Canada through illegal hawala channels.

It may be mentioned here that, Jatiya Party’s founder military dictator General Hussain Muhammad Ershad during his 9-year rule attempted to turn Bangladesh into an Islamic Republic and with this goal he made a constitutional amendment thus making Islam state religion of Bangladesh.

He also made Friday, the weekly holiday, built mosques across the country and waived power bills for mosques. During the entire period of the liberation war of Bangladesh in 1971, Ershad opted for collaborating with Pakistanis and had openly opposed Bangladesh’s war of independence.

Meanwhile, Jatiya Party’s chairman GM Quader and few of his key confidantes are working in favor of BNP’s ongoing “India Out” campaign. It may be mentioned here that GM Quader did not participate in Bangladesh’s war of independence in 1971.