Gen Waqar-uz-Zaman’s second unannounced St Martin’s outing comes amid friction with the political leadership over military postings
Bangladesh Army chief Gen Waqar-uz-Zaman made an unpublicised trip to St Martin’s Island and the open sea beyond it on October 19-20, just two days after returning from a two-week visit to Australia and the United States, informed sources told The Voice.
According to the sources, the general flew from Dhaka to Cox’s Bazar on a US-Bangla flight (SB-157) on October 19. He was accompanied by six members of his immediate staff: three brigadiers, a lieutenant colonel and a captain. Among them were the Director of Military Intelligence, Brig Hassan Muhammad, and the Director of Military Operations, Brig Mohammad Manzoor Hussain.
The group spent the night in Cox’s Bazar and left the next morning for St Martin’s by speedboat. After reaching the island, they reportedly headed out for what was described as “deep sea fishing.” The general then returned to Cox’s Bazar and flew back to Dhaka that same evening.
No announcement was made by the army or the government, and the media was not briefed.
A repeat outing
It was not the general’s first low-profile visit to the island. In December 2025, he made a similar unannounced trip and was photographed on the deck of a small vessel surrounded by army officers, dressed in a T-shirt and trousers rather than uniform.
Backdrop of tension
The latest trip follows the longest foreign tour Gen Zaman has made since taking charge of the army in June 2024. That tour came against the backdrop of a brief but tense stand-off between the army leadership and the political establishment. At the centre of it was Brig (retd) AKM Shamsul Islam, Defence Adviser to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, who was reportedly involved in key transfers and postings of several officers at the ranks of major general, brigadier and colonel.
Bangladesh will import US beef, deal to be announced in Dhaka on November 16
Neither the army nor the government has said what the outing was for, or what, if anything, was caught.
COMMENTS