Dhaka, Thursday, November 06, 2025 – The Bangladesh army not interested in governing has declared it will return to barracks immediately after national elections, ending 15 months of deployment in aid to civil power.
Lieutenant General Md Mainur Rahman delivered the statement at a rare press briefing in Dhaka Cantonment on Wednesday. Speaking on behalf of the Bangladesh Army, he stressed that troops await a free, fair and festive election aligned with the interim government’s roadmap.
This assurance comes amid intense political negotiations over election timing under Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus. The army’s position removes a major uncertainty hanging over Bangladesh’s transition since the August 2024 uprising that ousted Sheikh Hasina.
For South Asia, the development matters deeply. A professional military stepping back strengthens democratic norms in a region scarred by coups in Pakistan and Myanmar. It also reassures investors and neighbours that Bangladesh military stays out of politics, preserving stability crucial for trade corridors and migrant remittances.
Bangladesh Army Not Interested and Speaks with One Voice
Lieutenant General Mainur, general officer commanding Army Training and Doctrine Command, left no ambiguity.
“We have been outside the barracks for the past 15 months,” he said. “If we need to remain in the field longer after the election, it will hamper our training activities.”
The army is already preparing logistics and security arrangements strictly per the Yunus government’s published roadmap, he added. Troops will withdraw the moment an elected government assumes office. Army chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman no political interference has been a consistent theme since he took charge. In multiple public statements this year, he has rejected any governing role.
Waker-Uz-Zaman Repeats Professional Pledge
General Waker-Uz-Zaman has repeatedly underlined that Bangladesh military stays out of politics. In May 2025, he told reporters: “We have no political ambition. The army must return to barracks after elections.”
Earlier in February, while warning feuding politicians against destabilising the country, he declared: “I have no personal ambition… the military would return to barracks once the country reached a stable point.”
A September 2024 interview quoted him saying: “I am a professional soldier. I would like to keep my army professional. A soldier must not indulge in politics.” These remarks, delivered at press conferences and briefings, form the clearest official record of the army’s apolitical stance.
15 Months on the Streets
Bangladesh Army units first deployed nationwide on July 19, 2024, during the student-led quota reform movement. Violence escalated after Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League government collapsed on August 5, 2024.
Troops filled the vacuum left by police strikes and protected minorities amid retaliatory attacks. The interim government led by Muhammad Yunus swore in on August 8, 2024, with army support for law and order.
Since then, soldiers have manned checkpoints, guarded prisons and escorted election officials. The 15-month stretch is the longest continuous deployment since the 2007-2008 caretaker period. Lieutenant General Mainur confirmed that prolonged duties have already disrupted core training cycles at formations across the country.
Army Supports Yunus Government Elections
The military has publicly endorsed every step of the Yunus administration’s reform agenda, including dialogue with political parties and the Election Commission roadmap released in September 2025.
Army spokespersons at Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) have issued statements welcoming voter list updates, delimitation exercises and digital registration drives – all prerequisites for credible polls. General Waker-Uz-Zaman personally reviewed security plans for the Election Commission in October 2025, sources confirmed.
Background: A Changed Military
Bangladesh Army has intervened thrice since independence – 1975, 1982 and 2007. Each time produced long authoritarian rules.
Post-2009, under successive governments, the force professionalised rapidly. UN peacekeeping contributions rose to over 7,000 troops annually, earning USD 500 million in reimbursements. General Waker-Uz-Zaman, a UN peacekeeper himself, has prioritised modernisation over domestic power plays. Equipment upgrades worth BDT 120 billion approved in 2024-2025 reflect this focus.
What’s Next
Political parties must now finalise the election date. BNP demands polls by December 2025; Jamaat-e-Islami seeks reforms first. The Election Commission targets March 2026 at latest. Army sources say withdrawal will begin within 72 hours of results announcement, handing security fully to police and Ansar forces.
Home Affairs Adviser Lieutenant General (retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury hinted on November 04 that magistracy powers may end sooner if police strength reaches 200,000. Once ballots close, the Bangladesh army not interested in governing will prove its words with action – boots back in barracks, democracy restored.
Published in SouthAsianDesk, November 6th, 2025
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