US Courting Jamaat in Bangladesh: A Dangerous Miscalculation, Pakistan Wins

• The US is reportedly engaging with Jamaat-e-Islami in Bangladesh, a move seen as a dangerous strategic miscalculation.
• Jamaat-e-Islami opposed Bangladesh's 1971 liberation and has historical ties to Pakistani strategic interests.
• A leaked audio recording revealed a US diplomat's 'normalization strategy' towards Jamaat, downplaying concerns about its ideological goals and historical hostility to secular norms.
• The diplomat's remarks also downplayed the safety of non-Muslim minorities in Bangladesh, who have faced violence.
• India views US engagement with Jamaat as a security threat, potentially allowing Pakistan direct access to its eastern frontier and damaging India-US relations.

Why It Matters: US engagement with Jamaat-e-Islami in Bangladesh risks regional instability, endangers minorities, and benefits Pakistan.