Tracy Ann Jacobson, the U.S. Chargé d’Affaires in Dhaka, departed Bangladesh for Washington on May 22 via a Qatar Airways flight. Reliable sources suggest her return to the United States is prompted by urgent consultations regarding the evolving situations in Bangladesh and Myanmar’s Rakhine State.
Her departure comes at a time of visible tensions between Bangladesh’s Chief of Army Staff, General Waker-Uz-Zaman, and National Security Adviser (NSA) Khairul Rahman over providing military or humanitarian assistance in Rakhine. In a stern address to troops on May 21, General Waker strongly opposed any potential intervention or corridor arrangement in Myanmar, famously declaring, “No bloody corridor business.”
Jacobson left Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at around 4:00 AM on May 22. Mere hours before her departure, Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus held an extended meeting with senior leadership of the National Citizens Party (NCP) and key members of his advisory council, raising speculation about internal government deliberations on national and international security affairs.
Previously, on May 11, Dr. Yunus reportedly canceled General Waker’s scheduled visit to Honolulu, Hawaii. On the same day, Principal Staff Officer (PSO) of the Armed Forces Division, Lt. General Kamrul Hasan, held a nearly two-hour-long confidential meeting with Jacobson at the U.S. Embassy in Dhaka’s Baridhara neighborhood—an act believed to have breached military protocol.
Following this meeting, General Waker allegedly attempted to remove Lt. General Hasan from his PSO position. However, this attempt was thwarted by direct intervention from Dr. Yunus and NSA Khairul Rahman. Though Lt. General Hasan continues to serve, he has reportedly adopted a low-profile stance. Sources indicate he was present at his office on May 22, albeit under possible surveillance.
Jacobson’s sudden departure is believed to be tied to the shifting political and security dynamics in Bangladesh. She is expected to brief and consult with U.S. State Department and defense officials on ongoing developments, particularly in light of General Waker’s planned visit to China at the end of June—his first since assuming command in 2024.
The Bangladesh Army is currently pursuing procurement of military hardware from China, adding another layer of strategic complexity to the situation. A recent assessment by U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) Director Lt. General Jeffrey Kruse warned that China may be planning to establish People’s Liberation Army (PLA) military installations across several South Asian countries, including Bangladesh, Myanmar, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.
In this context, both Jacobson’s U.S. trip and General Waker’s upcoming China visit are seen as significant developments with implications for regional security and geopolitical alignments.