New Delhi, Dec 23 : Bangladesh is in the process of formalising a military deal with Pakistan, which is similar to the lines that Islamabad signed with Saudi Arabia.

Since Muhammad Yunus was appointed caretaker of the interim government in Bangladesh, ties between the two countries have plummeted to new depths. Dhaka has consistently tried moving away from India and inched closer towards Islamabad, even if it meant that the ISI used Bangladesh as a breeding ground for radicals and terrorists.

Indian agencies are keeping a close watch on the developments as Bangladesh and Pakistan get ready to formalise a military deal. An official explained that if the deal goes through, the military cooperation between the two countries would end up becoming a formal institutional pact.

This would mean that the two countries would conduct joint military exercises and also share Intelligence. Pakistan even suggested nuclear capabilities would be available, but the Saudi officials have been ambiguous in their response.

Officials say that Pakistan may make similar exceptions to Bangladesh, and there is every chance that Dhaka may take this offer. This is a worrying aspect in terms of security for India.

There has been a marked shift in bilateral relations between Pakistan and Bangladesh since Sheikh Hasina was ousted following a massive uprising last August last year. The two countries are now working on a Mutual Defence Agreement, and a joint mechanism has been established to finalise the draft.

Officials say that the two countries are looking to finalise the agreement before the conduct of the February elections. Even the Bangladesh Army is keen on this agreement and has been making a major push in this direction. Once this agreement is finalised, both countries will engage more in military-to-military engagement with each other. Both nations would also agree upon strategic coordination.

Over the last eight months, multiple rounds of talks have been held between top military officials of both countries. Bangladesh and Pakistan both feel that the agreement should be similar to the one signed between Saudi Arabia and Islamabad.

Officers of the Army, Navy, and Air Force of both countries frequented each other's countries multiple times. The Bangladesh Army, in particular, is keen on going ahead with this deal, officials tracking the developments said. Currently, there are several military memorandums of understanding (MoUs) in place that cover training, professional exchanges, and capacity-building measures.

While at first it was decided that the final draft would be prepared and the final agreement would be signed after the Bangladesh elections, however, there appears to be a change of plan. For the ISI, Yunus or Jamaat-e-Islami must remain at the helm. The situation would be tricky if there is a Bangladesh National Party (BNP) came to power post the elections. The BNP has been inclining more towards India in recent months. There is every chance of the deal not going through if the BNP wins the elections, and India can exert influence.

Another official says that this explains the constant need to incite violence in Bangladesh so that the elections are postponed. This would give both nations ample time to go ahead with the deal. Currently, the opinion polls suggest a narrow lead for the BNP in the elections over the Jamaat. Both countries would analyse the election trends before proceeding any further. However, the information that the Indian agencies have suggests that both Dhaka and Islamabad would want to finalise this deal before the elections take place.

/IANS