Sajeeb Wazed says ISI’s free hand in Bangladesh a problem for India

The Story in Brief

At a press conference in India, Sajeeb Wazed Joy, son of former Bangladeshi prime minister Sheikh Hasina, said Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) has “an open hand” in Bangladesh and alleged the current administration released hundreds of militants who had been arrested and convicted under the Awami League. He said Hizb ut-Tahrir marches openly and that Al‑Qaeda operatives speak at public rallies. Joy warned these developments do not “portend well for India and the world” and predicted the “next set of terrorists globally” could come from Bangladesh unless the trend is stopped.

At the same event, Hasina announced plans to return to Bangladesh in December, nearly two years after leaving in August 2024 following a student-led uprising that caused her resignation. She said she might face imprisonment or death but would return to focus on security, development and the people. Joy thanked India for hosting her and said she is being treated like a head of state with full security.

The Indian Opinion

The report mainly relays forceful claims by Sajeeb Wazed Joy and statements by Sheikh Hasina without independent verification. Phrases such as the ISI having “an open hand”, hundreds of convicted militants being released, and Bangladesh becoming the “next set of terrorists globally” are serious allegations presented as assertions by the speakers. An ordinary reader would note these are strong, potentially alarmist statements that require corroboration from official sources or independent reporting.

Hasina’s description of the 2024 protests as a coordinated campaign and Joy’s comparison of Bangladesh to Pakistan are interpretations; the article does not provide detailed evidence, responses from Bangladeshi or Pakistani authorities, or specific data on releases or prosecutions. More corroboration would be needed to assess the claims fully.

Original article: ‘Pakistan’s ISI has a free hand in Bangladesh’: Sheikh Hasina’s son calls it a ‘problem for India’ (www.hindustantimes.com)

This story was summarised and commented on by AI from the source linked above.