In a recent podcast interview, Maj (retd) Akhtaruzzaman, a veteran of the Bangladesh Army and now a BNP political figure, issued an extraordinary warning: that forces aligned with Pakistan and Turkey are covertly attempting to destabilize Bangladesh by promoting an armed revolution before the February national election. His remarks, both alarming and detailed, provide a rare inside view into the fears of growing geopolitical meddling in the country’s fragile political landscape.

While many of his claims await verification, they have already ignited intense debate among political observers, raising urgent questions about the intersection of domestic discontent, foreign influence, and the security of Bangladesh’s democracy.

Maj Akhtaruzzaman began by suggesting that the coming months represent a decisive moment for the country. According to him, Nobel laureate and interim leader Dr. Muhammad Yunus aims to conduct elections by February and then step aside. But that timeline, he alleged, is being challenged by powerful internal and external actors seeking to block the vote or spark violence that could justify further instability.

“The government does not want attacks; neither does the BNP,” he said in the interview. “Even the armed forces prefer elections. They will not attack. But those who oppose the February election will also avoid open violence—at least for now. Instead, they are applying pressure in other ways.”

He pointed to Islamist groups such as Jamaat-e-Islami, noting that while they are unlikely to launch direct attacks, they are intensifying propaganda and political pressure through “PR conditions.”

However, Akhtaruzzaman’s gravest warning focused on a relatively new political organization—the National Citizen Party (NCP). He described how the party, formed from former activists of the anti-discrimination movement, now feels abandoned by the government. “The NCP,” he said, “is being treated with indifference—denied fair participation, subjected to bureaucratic delays, and manipulated through technicalities........

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