Since the jihadist-backed upheaval of August 5, 2024, Bangladesh has ceased to function as a purely sovereign political arena. Instead, it has rapidly devolved into a contested battleground where foreign powers are aggressively maneuvering to establish dominance—using Islamist proxies, covert networks, and political manipulation as their primary tools.

At the center of this unfolding crisis stands Jamaat-e-Islami, an ideological offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood. While cloaked in the language of electoral participation, Jamaat’s long-term objective remains unchanged: the dismantling of Bangladesh’s secular framework and the imposition of a Sharia-based order. The current geopolitical scramble in Bangladesh involves three principal actors—China, Turkey, and the United States—each pursuing influence through a mix of overt diplomacy and covert engagement with Islamist forces.

Yet, the most consequential role is being played behind the scenes by Pakistan’s powerful intelligence agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). Acting as a shadow broker, the ISI is simultaneously facilitating the strategic objectives of both Washington and Beijing—two global rivals—underscoring the deeply transactional nature of modern geopolitics. This is not routine diplomacy. It is calculated strategic penetration.

The recent controversy surrounding the Chinese Embassy in Dhaka offers a revealing glimpse into how influence is cultivated at the grassroots level. Under the pretext of humanitarian assistance, the embassy distributed Eid al-Fitr food packages at an event attended by Ambassador Yao Wen and Jamaat leader Shafiqur........

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