Does Bangladesh army chief face a coup from a pro-Islamist faction?

Amid ongoing conflict between Islamists and progressives in Bangladesh, there is widespread speculation about a potential coup in the neighboring country.

According to The Economic Times report, Lieutenant General Mohammad Faizur Rahman, the quartermaster general of the Bangladesh army and known for his pro-Islamist views, may be planning to seize control of the army.

Last week, he met with the chief of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence and his delegation during their visit to Dhaka.

According to the report, citing sources familiar with the dynamics of Bangladesh Army, Rahman may try to garner support from DGFI, the intelligence wing of Bangladesh army.

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Current army chief General Aqar-uz-Zaman, who holds a centrist ideology, is positively inclined toward India and is working to prevent a complete Islamist takeover in the country by positioning the army as a key institution for Bangladesh’s stability, reported The Economic Times.

He facilitated a safe passage for then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to India when an Islamist-led mob threatened to storm her residence on August 5 last year.

According to the report, another significant power center within the Bangladesh Army is led by Lt Gen Mohammad Shaheenul Haque, the commandant of the National Defence College in Mirpur Cantonment, Dhaka.

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He is supported by Major Gen Muhammad Moin Khan of the ninth division, which is often regarded as the most powerful division and is pro-Awami League.

Lt Gen Haque previously served as the commander of the Victory Day Parade in 2022 and was the chief of general staff at army headquarters.

Commissioned into the infantry corps in July 1989, he received the prestigious ‘Sword of Honour’ for his outstanding performance during his commissioning.

Moreover, he has held the position of director of the weapons, equipment, and statistics directorate within the army headquarters’ general staff branch, added the report.

With inputs from agencies