Former Special Branch chief Monirul Islam has made a number of fresh claims about the events surrounding Bangladesh’s major political change on August 5, 2024. In a recent interview, he discussed what he says happened behind the scenes before the fall of the government and raised questions about the role of different groups within the state.
Monirul Islam gave the interview to the YouTube channel of senior journalist and political analyst Masuda Bhatti. During the discussion, he spoke about former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Dr. Muhammad Yunus, the so-called “deep state” and a section of the military.
According to Monirul, he submitted a report to Sheikh Hasina in March 2023. The report reportedly discussed the possibility of a new government being formed in 2024. It also included a possible outline of how such a government could be structured.
Monirul Islam Says He Warned Sheikh Hasina
Monirul Islam said several people mentioned in his 2023 report later became advisers to the interim government. He also claimed that some of them later became chairpersons or members of different commissions.
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He further said that the report included the possibility of a government led by Dr. Muhammad Yunus. At that time, however, Monirul said he viewed it as a possible “national government.”
According to his account, he believed Yunus might not directly lead such a government because of his age. He thought another person could be placed in front.
Monirul said Sheikh Hasina had a different view about Yunus. He claimed that after reading that part of the report, Hasina told him that Yunus himself wanted to take power.
Monirul also said Sheikh Hasina read the entire seven- or eight-page report. He claimed that she agreed with most of its contents but had a different opinion about the possible role of Yunus.
Claims About the 2023 Visa Restrictions
The former police official also spoke about the visa restrictions announced by the United States in 2023.
Monirul claimed that he had submitted another report before the announcement. According to him, information about possible visa restrictions had reached him earlier, and the report also mentioned some countries that could become involved.
He said that in September or October 2024, he found the old report again and compared it with later events.
According to Monirul, around 90 percent of the information in that report later matched what happened.
However, no independent evidence for these claims was presented in the interview. Much of the information came from Monirul Islam’s own description of reports and observations from his time in government service.
What Happened Before August 5?
Monirul Islam also made claims about preparations before August 5, 2024.
He said an attempt had been made to implement a plan around the BNP and Jamaat rally on October 28, 2023. According to him, that plan did not succeed because the situation was brought under control.
After the national election in 2024, Monirul said a sense of confidence developed within the government and the ruling political camp.
He suggested that there was a belief that even if protests took place, a major movement would come only several years later, near the end of the government’s term.
According to Monirul, this confidence later became a major weakness.
Monirul Islam Talks About the “Deep State”
Another important part of the interview was Monirul Islam’s discussion of what he called a “deep state.”
He said that plans for political change had taken a new direction after 2019. He also referred to the 2018 election, the safe roads movement and the quota movement as possible testing grounds.
According to his account, there was a belief that a government could not be changed through traditional political movements alone. He claimed that a strategy was therefore developed around students and young people.
At the same time, Monirul himself explained that the “deep state” was not the name of any official institution. He described it instead as the combined influence of powerful individuals and groups spread across different parts of the state.
Claims About a Section of the Military
One of the most serious claims made by Monirul Islam concerned the military.
He claimed that a section of the army played a role in the fall of the government on August 5. According to him, part of the military opposed the government’s plan to control the movement.
Monirul also pointed to what happened after August 5. He noted that although major changes took place in different parts of the administration, the chiefs of the three armed forces remained in their positions. He also mentioned that the head of the border security force remained in office.
Based on this, Monirul argued that a separate influential group may have existed within the country’s security structure.
He described this alleged group as a “mini deep state.” According to his claim, the group did not always work for the government. It could support the government at one time and act against it at another.
These remain claims made by Monirul Islam and have not been independently established in the interview.
Why Monirul Islam’s Interview Matters
Monirul Islam was serving as the head of the Special Branch before the political crisis of 2024. Because of his former position, his account has attracted attention in the ongoing discussion about what happened before August 5.
His statements raise several questions about the events that led to the change of government.
Was August 5 only the result of the street movement? Or did internal disagreements within the state also play a role?
Monirul’s account presents one possible explanation. In his version, there was a movement on the streets while different calculations were also taking place inside the state.
He has also claimed that Sheikh Hasina received information about a possible change of government as early as 2023. If that claim is correct, another question remains: why was the government unable to prepare effectively despite receiving such a warning?
A Political Turning Point
August 5, 2024, remains one of the most important dates in Bangladesh’s recent political history. The government changed within a very short period, with the prime minister resigning and leaving the country.
Monirul Islam’s latest interview has brought several old questions back into public discussion. His claims about Dr. Muhammad Yunus, Sheikh Hasina, the alleged deep state and a section of the military have added new points to the debate.
At the same time, the full picture of what happened before August 5 remains unclear.
The claims made by Monirul Islam may lead to further political discussion, but many of the questions surrounding the events of 2024 still require independent evidence and further investigation.
For now, his interview has opened another chapter in the debate over how Bangladesh’s political landscape changed so quickly in 2024.
[…] Monirul Islam Raises New Questions About Bangladesh’s 2024 Political Change […]