New Delhi: Bangladesh has carried out a major reshuffle of its military leadership, appointing a new chief of general staff and making changes to several senior posts, including the head of military intelligence.
The moves came within days of the new government led by Tarique Rehman taking office after the national elections, a development that drew close attention in the Indian media. The government, formed by the Bangladesh National Party and sworn in on February 17, initiated the changes on February 23.
Among the key appointments, Brigadier General Md. Hafizur Rahman was named General Officer Commanding and recalled from his posting as defence adviser at Bangladesh’s High Commission in India, according to reporting by Prothom Alo.
Lieutenant General M. Mainur Rahman, who earlier headed the Army Training and Doctrine Command, was appointed chief of general staff, filling the vacancy left by the retirement of Lieutenant General Mizanur Rahman Shamim, The Wire reported.
The reassignments were widely seen as an effort by the new administration to consolidate its authority over the armed forces by replacing officers who had held key positions during the previous interim setup and parts of the tenure of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
As part of the reshuffle, Major General Mohammad Jahangir Alam, who had led military intelligence, was moved to a diplomatic role in the Foreign Ministry, while Major General Kaiser Rashid Chowdhury took charge of the intelligence wing.
Observers have described the changes as politically significant in Bangladesh, where the military has historically played an influential role during periods of transition. The developments are being viewed against the backdrop of political turbulence following the 2024 popular uprising and the subsequent 2026 election that brought the BNP to power.
At the same time, Bangladesh announced that it would restore full visa and consular services for Indian citizens across its missions, services that had been paused in the run-up to the elections.
The move has been interpreted as a possible easing of tensions with India. New Delhi had earlier suspended certain visa categories for Bangladeshi nationals in December, but later signalled that services would resume, shortly before Dhaka indicated that tourist and other visa facilities for Indians would be reopened.
The temporary curbs on visas followed a deadly attack on youth leader Osman Hadi in Dhaka in December, which triggered allegations of assaults on minorities.
In recent statements, officials on both sides have pointed to an interest in reviving people-to-people exchanges, as well as business and medical travel. Narendra Modi was also cited as conveying readiness to deepen ties and security cooperation with Bangladesh’s new government.