In recent months, a steady stream of senior Pakistani military and intelligence officials has travelled to Bangladesh, signalling a noticeable intensification of defence-level engagement between the two countries. High-ranking figures, including the chairman of Pakistan’s Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, the Pakistan Navy chief, and ISI head Lieutenant General Asim Malik, have all made visits to Dhaka. These engagements coincide with Bangladesh’s interim political leadership under Muhammad Yunus, which many observers believe is steering the country’s foreign policy away from India and towards closer alignment with Pakistan.
These visits are widely seen as more than symbolic. With relations between Pakistan and India strained, Islamabad appears keen to deepen strategic ties with Dhaka by pursuing a formal defence agreement, reportedly modelled on the strategic defence pact Pakistan signed with Saudi Arabia earlier this year. That agreement drew attention for its strong language, stating that an attack on one country would be treated as an attack on both, a clause viewed within Pakistan as a deterrent aimed at India.
Speculation is now growing that Pakistan wants to replicate a similar, NATO-style mutual defence arrangement with Bangladesh. If concluded, this would mark the first such military pact between the two countries since Bangladesh’s independence in 1971, a historically sensitive development given the role of the Pakistani military during the liberation war. Despite that legacy, the two sides are reportedly exploring a framework that would include intelligence sharing and joint military exercises.
With Bangladesh heading into elections in just a few months, Pakistan is said to be eager to fast-track the agreement while the current administration remains in place. Media reports suggest that a joint working mechanism has already been established to draft the proposed pact. While there is no official confirmation on whether nuclear cooperation would form part of the agreement, even the possibility has raised concerns, particularly in India, given Pakistan’s past claims that its nuclear umbrella could extend to close partners.
The internal situation in Bangladesh has also provided momentum to Pakistan’s outreach. Recent unrest, marked by strong anti-India sentiment following the killing of radical leader Sharif Osman Hadi, has created an environment that Islamabad appears ready to leverage. Adding fuel to the speculation, a leader from Pakistan’s ruling party recently called openly for a formal military alliance with Bangladesh, asserting that Pakistan would stand firmly with Dhaka in the event of an Indian attack.
India, while not commenting publicly, is believed to be watching these developments closely. Any formal defence agreement between Pakistan and Bangladesh, especially one involving sensitive military or nuclear cooperation, could pose a strategic challenge on India’s eastern flank. Much may ultimately depend on the outcome of Bangladesh’s elections. Observers note that if a different political alignment emerges, particularly one led by the Bangladesh National Party, which is considered relatively more accommodating towards India, the proposed pact could face delays or be reconsidered altogether.
This urgency is precisely why Pakistan appears determined to conclude the agreement under the current Yunus-led administration. By moving swiftly, Islamabad hopes to lock in closer defence ties with Dhaka before any potential political shift, even if it means further straining Bangladesh’s traditionally close relationship with India.
