Dhaka, May 14 — As Bangladesh Army Chief General Waker-uz-Zaman prepares for an unusual month-long visit to the United States, strategic developments are unfolding within the top ranks of the military at home. Lt Gen Kamrul Hassan, Principal Staff Officer (PSO) at the Armed Forces Division (AFD), has taken on an increasingly active role, particularly regarding the issue of potential logistics and supply support to the Arakan Army across the Myanmar border.
On May 10, Bangladesh’s National Security Adviser (NSA) Khalilur Rahman met Lt Gen Hassan for an hour-long meeting at the AFD headquarters. Rahman, who also serves as the High Representative on the Rohingya Crisis and Priority Issues, met Hassan again on the morning of May 14 for a second closed-door session lasting 30 minutes.
While official sources claim the meetings were focused on the controversial “humanitarian corridor” for the repatriation of 1.4 million Rohingya refugees, including new arrivals in Cox’s Bazar, intelligence and defense sources suggest deeper strategic motivations may be involved. Analysts believe the real agenda could be to shape a covert framework for offering logistical and operational support to the Arakan Army — an armed ethnic group currently engaged in fierce conflict with the Myanmar junta in Rakhine State.
Both the Armed Forces Division and the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) are understood to view the proposed humanitarian corridor not only as a logistical challenge but as a critical national security issue requiring a firm response. Internal discussions within the military indicate that key factions are advocating for a more “active and comprehensive role” in managing the border situation, ensuring stability in southeastern Bangladesh, and safeguarding national sovereignty in the face of mounting regional instability.
The developments come at a time of heightened geopolitical tension in the region, as Bangladesh seeks to balance international humanitarian obligations with emerging security imperatives along its volatile border with Myanmar.
