Bangladeshi Army Chief on 6-day visit to Pakistan

[vish]

Bangladesh, as a society, is polarized between two groups: "Liberal Left-wing pro-India Bengali-first" and "Conservative Right-wing pro-Pakistan/China Islam-first."

Bangladesh is a playground for RAW and ISI, where the two play their trivial games. Recent events have, however, skewed up the scene a lot.

The military is very much pro-left, for it largely comprises people who were once in or are related to those who fought in the Mukti Bahini. The leader of the Jamaat-i-Islami (the large right-wing party) was arrested. The right is losing the turf war daily. Also, there is something in Bangladesh known as the "Friday Club," comprising India, the UK, the USA, and Australia. Note that this club excludes China. The Friday Club is marginalizing the right and also the right's traditional backers: Pakistan (read ISI) and China (read the Sino-Bangladesh friendship club). In short, if things persist as such, and it does look like the right is going to the dogs, then pretty soon Bangladesh will be a liberal pro-India country.

Just have a look at the current cabinet and you will realize how much the country has changed. Do not equate Bangladesh with Pakistan; Bangladesh is much more liberal. There is also a big pro-Israel section in the Bangladeshi society.

The clashes that you see on the border are gang-wars between individual BSF and BR commanders; do not read much into that.

The visit to Pakistan is just that: a visit with a for-show shopping list. No offence but Bangladesh's military is really nothing great and for one very simple reason: non-existence of any threat. Test-firing a missile or buying 6-7 aircraft does not mean anything. Have a look at how does Bangladesh uses its existing equipment and you'll figure what I'm implying.

Or better, read this: Brigadier, Maruf's new BdA-InA tirade at CDF - World Affairs Board

Plus, why does everybody underestimate RAW and the GoI's strategic think tanks? Just because RAW is less visible it does not mean it is less potent...

 

[z9-ec]

Bangladesh, as a society, is polarized between two groups: "Liberal Left-wing pro-India Bengali-first" and "Conservative Right-wing pro-Pakistan/China Islam-first."

Your theory is based on fictitious grounds and completely unrealistic. The reasons, Bangladesh chose Pakistan over India are simplistic. The only adversary strategically located next to Bangladesh is India.

The argument of pro-left and pro-right is irrelevant, as I have personally met many liberal minded and moderate Bangladeshis. They all believe that India is not an ally, they consider Pakistan as a brotherly nation. Therefore, for obvious reasons the Bangladeshi military chose Pakistan as a reliant and capable source of armaments. Reliance and trust are the key factors.

Pakistan has proven defence equipment and production facilities to meet export demands and expectations of friendly nations. For example, Sri Lanka.


The argument of the the BD Military being pro-left (India) is unrealistic as the thread is self-explanatory.

 

[vish]

Your theory is based on fictitious grounds and completely unrealistic. The reasons, Bangladesh chose Pakistan over India are simplistic. The only adversary strategically located next to Bangladesh is India.

The argument of pro-left and pro-right is irrelevant, as I have personally met many liberal minded and moderate Bangladeshis. They all believe that India is not an ally, they consider Pakistan as a brotherly nation. Therefore, for obvious reasons the Bangladeshi military chose Pakistan as a reliant and capable source of armaments. Reliance and trust are the key factors.

Pakistan has proven defence equipment and production facilities to meet export demands and expectations of friendly nations. For example, Sri Lanka.


The argument of the the BD Military being pro-left (India) is unrealistic as the thread is self-explanatory.

Firstly, it is not "my theory." It is the reality of the Bangladeshi society. You can, however, say that the right may be liberal too (at least to a certain extent).

Another thing, Bangladesh was seeking weapons from the PRC as the PRC was providing these at bargain prices, and for a very simple reason: to keep us pre-occupied. The military intervention changed Bangladesh's anti-India stance. Also, the past decade saw India actively peeking and prodding into Bangladesh's affairs.

Pakistan remains the best user of Chinese equipment. Hence, Bangladesh has approached Pakistan with help in upgrading its weapons systems. Pakistan will also be able to offer significant bang for the buck. This is the reason why Bangladesh is seeking these weapons deals, because it makes perfect economic sense.

As far as Sri Lanka goes, the reason they buy weapons from you is that we do not sell it to them.

One last thing, Bangladesh has no adversary.

 

[BanglaBhoot]

Why is BD picking Pakistan for the Tanks? Maybe you can answer better then I.

Pakistan has produced a tank that is cost effective for Bangladesh. It appeared in the latest Bangladesh Defence Journal. Also BD wants to create its own indigenous arms industry and since Pakistan is showing cooperation why not start with their know how and help. Bangladesh remembers that India took all the tanks that belonged to East Pakistan after the 1971 war and this gesture has not been forgotten.

 

[donrahul]

Pakistan has produced a tank that is cost effective for Bangladesh. It appeared in the latest Bangladesh Defence Journal. Also BD wants to create its own indigenous arms industry and since Pakistan is showing cooperation why not start with their know how and help. Bangladesh remembers that India took all the tanks that belonged to East Pakistan after the 1971 war and this gesture has not been forgotten.

There is no free lunch Munshi Sahib!

 

[BanglaBhoot]

There is no free lunch Munshi Sahib!

So Bangladesh has no reason to be grateful. As you say there is no free lunch. Whatever India did for Bangladesh was paid back with interest within a few days of the cessation of hostilities in 1971. Now we are in the loss account in our relationship with India. This requires a serious reassessment in our account management so things do not remain on the debit side of Bangladesh's balance sheet with India.

 

[donrahul]

So Bangladesh has no reason to be grateful. As you say there is no free lunch. Whatever India did for Bangladesh was paid back with interest within a few days of the cessation of hostilities in 1971. Now we are in the loss account in our relationship with India. This requires a serious reassessment in our account management so things do not remain on the debit side of Bangladesh's balance sheet with India.

You must be a good Barrister
Why so anti-India sir?

 

[ejaz007]

One thing missing here is that say by 2010 Pakistan will have a some aircraft available for disposal such as A-5, F-7 and perhaps some Mirage. Also we are upgrading our armour and a decent number of tanks might become available for disposal. So perhaps Bangladesh is looking for these and are preparing the ground work.

 

[batmannow]

Rawalpindi , October 21: General Moeen U Ahmed, Chief of Army Staff Bangladesh Army who is on a six day official visit to Pakistan, visited General Headquarters today and called on the Chief of Army Staff, General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani. Both sides agreed to enhance their existing level of defence relationship. They also discussed strategic issues to develop common understanding.
Earlier, on arrival at General Headquarters, General Moeen U Ahmed was presented a guard of honour. He reviewed the parade and took salute from the smartly turned out contingent of Pakistan Army.





General Moeen U Ahmed, Chief of Army Staff Bangladesh Army called on the Chief of Army Staff, General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani at General Headquarters on Tuesday (21-10-08) Photo ISPR

surly, General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani should learn something from General Moeen U Ahmed, i mean washing up the dirty laundry!

 

[T-Rex]

surly, General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani should learn something from General Moeen U Ahmed, i mean washing up the dirty laundry!

The only thing General kayani can learn from this man is how to act like Mir Zafar who had sold himself to the British in 1857.

 

[Myth_buster_1]

surly, General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani should learn something from General Moeen U Ahmed, i mean washing up the dirty laundry!

does it suppose to mean? doesn't he have 500,000 + 500,000 men to do this for him?

 

[T-Rex]

One thing missing here is that say by 2010 Pakistan will have a some aircraft available for disposal such as A-5, F-7 and perhaps some Mirage. Also we are upgrading our armour and a decent number of tanks might become available for disposal. So perhaps Bangladesh is looking for these and are preparing the ground work.

As things are going on in Bangladesh there's no certainty that a country called Bangladesh will exist by the year 2010. The economy is in ruins, there's no sign of political stability and corruption is going on as usual, thanks to the care-taker government run by some idiots. BTW what will BD do with some scraps of iron in the form of weapons ? BD needs its own defence industry but the friends of India won't let that happen in Bangladesh, and this man who's visiting Pakistan, is a reliable friend of India.

 

[BanglaBhoot]

As things are going on in Bangladesh there's no certainty that a country called Bangladesh will exist by the year 2010. The economy is in ruins, there's no sign of political stability and corruption is going on as usual, thanks to the care-taker government run by some idiots. BTW what will BD do with some scraps of iron in the form of weapons ? BD needs its own defence industry but the friends of India won't let that happen in Bangladesh, and this man who's visiting Pakistan, is a reliable friend of India.

Thats a big statement. I will not give my opinion on it but do you think it was wise of him to visit Pakistan at this time and do you think the timing of the visit is of any significance? If he is in fact backed by India then what will they make of all this? Finally why do you think he is pro-Indian?

You seem to be someone in the know. Give us some juicy info plz.

 

[T-Rex]

Thats a big statement. I will not give my opinion on it but do you think it was wise of him to visit Pakistan at this time and do you think the timing of the visit is of any significance? If he is in fact backed by India then what will they make of all this? Finally why do you think he is pro-Indian?

You seem to be someone in the know. Give us some juicy info plz.

You don't need to be a rocket scientist to realise that the present army backed care-taker government is anything but neutral. This is what one Indian on this forum has just said, "Bangladesh, as a society, is polarized between two groups: "Liberal Left-wing pro-India Bengali-first" and "Conservative Right-wing pro-Pakistan/China Islam-first."

Bangladesh is a playground for RAW and ISI, where the two play their trivial games. Recent events have, however, skewed up the scene a lot.

The military is very much pro-left, for it largely comprises people who were once in or are related to those who fought in the Mukti Bahini. The leader of the Jamaat-i-Islami (the large right-wing party) was arrested. The right is losing the turf war daily. Also, there is something in Bangladesh known as the "Friday Club," comprising India, the UK, the USA, and Australia. Note that this club excludes China. The Friday Club is marginalizing the right and also the right's traditional backers: Pakistan (read ISI) and China (read the Sino-Bangladesh friendship club). In short, if things persist as such, and it does look like the right is going to the dogs, then pretty soon Bangladesh will be a liberal pro-India country.

Just have a look at the current cabinet and you will realize how much the country has changed. Do not equate Bangladesh with Pakistan; Bangladesh is much more liberal. There is also a big pro-Israel section in the Bangladeshi society.

The clashes that you see on the border are gang-wars between individual BSF and BR commanders; do not read much into that.

The visit to Pakistan is just that: a visit with a for-show shopping list. No offence but Bangladesh's military is really nothing great and for one very simple reason: non-existence of any threat. Test-firing a missile or buying 6-7 aircraft does not mean anything. Have a look at how does Bangladesh uses its existing equipment and you'll figure what I'm implying.

Or better, read this: Brigadier, Maruf's new BdA-InA tirade at CDF - World Affairs Board

Plus, why does everybody underestimate RAW and the GoI's strategic think tanks? Just because RAW is less visible it does not mean it is less potent...," it is not that I totally agree with his views but you have to admit that there is some truth in it.

 

[Kasrkin]

If this is true then I think Pakistan will be having some seconds thoughts about selling any sensitive military equipment to BD i.e. JF-17, Al-Khalid etc

But it must be kept in mind that trends do change, Pakistan Army too was once a completely liberal-purely-military-traditionalized-anti-Mullah near autocracy lead institution. This generation shared the typical British contempt for disorder and religious activism. But then they let normal people from urbanized, conservative families into the officer corps, Zia-ul-Haq was the first of that generation. Now many Army officers think well of Jamat-e-Islami and PML-N. This is contrast to the father of Pakistan Army, Field Marshal Ayub Khan who completely HATED mullahs (even tried to hang the JI founder).

So this is just a theory, but maybe the next generation of BD officers will be more Anti-Indian after all, depends how India treats BD at the moment.