Dhaka Drama: CIA Puppeteering

It was a sweltering afternoon on August 5, 2024, when the streets of Dhaka erupted into chaos. Protestors swarmed the city’s main square, their chants growing louder as they marched toward the Prime Minister’s Office. The crowd, a mix of students, activists, and ordinary citizens, had been growing for weeks, fueled by a perfect storm of discontent. By the time the sun dipped below the horizon, the situation had reached a breaking point: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had resigned under military pressure, leaving the country in turmoil.

To the untrained eye, this might have seemed like another chapter in Bangladesh’s turbulent political history. But a closer look revealed a far more intricate plot—one that bore all the hallmarks of a well-rehearsed coup orchestrated from behind the scenes. As the dust settled, it became clear: the CIA’s playbook was once again in motion.

A Slow Build to Chaos

The seeds of unrest had been planted months earlier. On May 23, Sheikh Hasina had made a cryptic but telling revelation: a foreign “White man” had approached her with an offer—allow a military base on Bangladeshi soil, and her government would face no further threats. Hasina refused, setting off a chain of events that would culminate in her downfall.

By June, the discontent had found its spark. The High Court’s decision to restore job reservations canceled years earlier reignited old grievances among students, who saw the move as a step backward for the country. What started as peaceful protests soon turned violent, with clashes between demonstrators and security forces. Tear gas filled the air, rubber bullets flew, and within days, the internet was shut down across the country. The government’s heavy-handed response only served to embolden the protestors, who now had a new target: the government itself.

In the weeks that followed, the protests grew more intense. On July 16, a fresh wave of violence erupted, pushing the country to the brink of chaos. The world watched as images of burning barricades and bleeding protestors flooded social media. The situation appeared dire, but by late July, there was a glimmer of hope when the Supreme Court ordered a reduction in the controversial quota system. For a brief moment, it seemed as though peace might return. But this was merely the calm before the storm.

The Final Push

On August 4, the cracks in the government’s armor began to show. General Ikbal Karim Bhuiyan, a former Army chief, publicly criticized the government’s handling of the protests, condemning the violence and calling for a withdrawal of troops. The current Army Chief, Waker-uz-Zaman, followed suit, aligning himself with the protestors and declaring that the military would “always stand by the people.” The stage was set for the final act.

The next day, the opposition called for a “Long March to Dhaka,” a mass protest designed to force Hasina from power. As tens of thousands converged on the capital, the tension was palpable. The protestors were determined, the military was watching, and Hasina was out of time. Within hours, the Army Chief issued an ultimatum: resign within 45 minutes, or face the consequences. Hasina, sensing the noose tightening, made a quick exit, fleeing the country for an unknown destination. The coup was complete.

Stooges of the CIA

As the coup unfolded, the involvement of Yunus Muhammad, a vocal critic of Sheikh Hasina, drew comparisons to Indian politician Rahul Gandhi. Both figures are often seen not as champions of the people's causes but as individuals who exploit the existing fault lines within India and Bangladesh. Their tactics involve leveraging social and political divisions to challenge established governments, aligning their movements with broader geopolitical agendas. By tapping into the discontent and unrest, they appear to be pushing narratives that, whether knowingly or not, play into the hands of foreign powers like the CIA, which have historically sought to destabilize regimes through such calculated interventions.

Rahul Gandhi’s involvement in similar movements in India—championing causes that align with broader anti-establishment sentiments—mirrors the approach seen in Bangladesh. Both figures have been accused of playing into the hands of foreign intelligence strategies that seek to destabilize ruling governments, often unknowingly serving as tools in the wider game of international power dynamics. While Yunus and Gandhi may present themselves as voices for the oppressed, their actions often inadvertently align with geopolitical maneuvers designed to disrupt the stability of their nations.

A Threat to India?

As the dust settles in Bangladesh, the implications for the region are far-reaching. For India, which shares deep historical and political ties with Bangladesh, the coup is a stark reminder of the fragility of South Asia’s democracies. Defense analysts have long warned that India could be vulnerable to similar tactics, particularly as internal divisions and external pressures mount. The question now is whether India’s institutions are prepared to withstand the same kind of covert manipulation that has toppled governments across the region.

India’s Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath, famously remarked, "Batenge toh katenge"—a stern warning implying that those who engage in divisive activities will face the consequences. His words, although spoken in a different context, resonate eerily in the current situation. The growing discontent in Bangladesh, fueled by external forces, shows how easily a nation can be divided and destabilized. For India, Yogi Adityanath’s adage serves as a reminder of the importance of maintaining unity and vigilance in the face of such covert strategies.

In a world where regime change is no longer the domain of overt military invasions but of shadowy maneuvers and strategic uprisings, the stakes have never been higher. The events in Bangladesh are not just a cautionary tale—they are a call to action. For India, and for every nation facing the threat of external interference, the lesson is clear: vigilance, unity, and a steadfast defense of sovereignty are the only antidotes to the playbook that continues to destabilize nations across the globe.

As Bangladesh grapples with the fallout of yet another orchestrated coup, the world watches closely. The playbook is old, but its dangers are ever-present. And in this game of power, India's present leadership his vigilant.