US military buildup in Bangladesh's strategic Chittagong region is raising alarms in India and Myanmar, with experts warning of potential regional security implications, reports The Economic Times.
The paper noted that a C-130J Super Hercules - a tactical transport aircraft normally based at the US Air Force's Yokota station in Japan - recently touched down at Shah Amanat International Airport in Chittagong.
Analysts cited by the publication said the visit appeared linked to growing involvement of external powers in the Bay of Bengal area, which lies near India's Northeast and Myanmar. Both Washington and Beijing are reportedly trying to court Myanmar's rebel groups, the report added.
Since Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus assumed power in Dhaka, the US military has made frequent stops in Chittagong, ranging from reconnaissance trips to joint drills, The Economic Times said. Earlier this year, Bangladesh and the United States conducted exercises codenamed Operation Pacific Angel-25 and Tiger Lightning-2025 in the same zone.
Sources quoted by the outlet revealed that another joint training mission is on the cards, following the arrival of a contingent of US soldiers in the area last week. Last month, a US Special Forces (Airborne) officer was found dead in an upscale hotel in Dhaka, further fuelling unease within Bangladesh's armed forces about an expanded American footprint outside scheduled cooperation.
The newspaper also recalled allegations surrounding Washington's involvement in anti-government protests that forced Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina from office in August 2024. Hasina had accused the US of pushing for her removal after she declined to cede St Martin's Island, located in the Bay of Bengal, to American interests.
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