National Security Intelligence

The Directorate General of National Security Intelligence (Bengali: জাতীয় নিরাপত্তা গোয়েন্দা সংস্থা), commonly known as the NSI, is the principal civilian intelligence agency of the People's Republic of Bangladesh (গণপ্রজাতন্ত্রী বাংলাদেশ). The NSI's headquarters is in 1 Segunbagicha, Dhaka, Bangladesh. The NSI is the leading body of the Government of Bangladesh in the field of internal security, counter terrorism, counter intelligence and foreign intelligence. NSI is the largest among the intelligence agencies in Bangladesh, the others being the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI), SB, CID, PBI and intelligence directorates of armed and paramilitary forces. The agency stands under the direct authority of the Prime Minister of Bangladesh.[4]

National Security Intelligence
জাতীয় নিরাপত্তা গোয়েন্দা সংস্থা
Agency overview
Formed29 December 1972 (1972-12-29)[1]
Preceding agency
  • Independent
JurisdictionPrime Minister
Headquarters1,Segunbagicha, Dhaka, Bangladesh[2][3]
MottoCommitted to national security.
Annual budgetConfidential
Agency executive
Parent agencyNone (Independent)

This is an independent civilian intelligence agency. Today, its internal security functions are similar to the British Security Services, MI5, while the foreign intelligence function does not quite resemble the MI6. Like other intelligence agencies, NSI is believed to have offices in foreign countries, which are based on Bangladeshi diplomatic missions abroad. The NSI also has territorial units in all of the 64 districts of Bangladesh, headed by a Joint Director/Deputy Director.[4]

Being the only independent civilian intelligence agency in Bangladesh, the NSI's principal activities are gathering information about foreign governments, individuals, corporations, political parties, different religious groups; counter-terrorism, counter-intelligence,political intelligence and give protection to the VIPs & VVIPs are among its major functions.[1]

Organization
  • National Security Intelligence is headed by a Director General (D.G), who is a two-star military officer. The key posts of this organization are Director, Additional Director, Joint Director, Deputy Director and Assistant Director. Some other posts are Computer Engineer, Telephone Engineer, Research Officer. Some directorate of NSI are internal, city internal, border, external, security, media wing, training, administration, counter terrorism and intelligence.
  • The force is mostly staffed by civil personnel. Officers are recruited by the Prime Minister's Office, Class-1 officers directly recruited by the agency starts with the post of Assistant Director (Grade-9).[5]
  • Officers are also seconded from Bangladesh Police, Armed Forces of Bangladesh, Bangladesh Ansar.

List of Directors General

Duties

The principal activities of the NSI National Security Intelligence are:

  • Gathering information by any or all means about foreign governments, organisations, individuals and politicians; monitor Bangladeshi government officials, political parties, politicians, extremist groups, separatists, religious bodies, unions, popular movements, NGOs and any other group or person who might be relevant to national security;
  • Analysing that information, along with intelligence gathered by other Bangladesh intelligence agencies,

to provide intelligence assessments to the PM and the National Committee for Intelligence Coordination

  • Upon executive orders carrying out or overseeing covert activities overseas, by its own employees,

by members of the military, or by other partner forces.

Controversies

Human Rights abuses

According to Human Rights Watch's May 2009 issue, during the 2006–08 Bangladeshi political crisis in Bangladesh, the NSI was actively involved in harassment and arbitrary arrest of labour activists.[5]

Aiding Indian militants

Over the years, NSI has been accused several times of aiding Indian separatists from North-East and Kashmir. Indian government and media have accused Bangladesh of involvement in the 2002 attack on American cultural centre in Kolkata. They have also blamed NSI along with DGFI and ISI for several attacks on Assam, Tripura and Bihar.[14]

Ten-truck arms and ammunition haul in Chittagong

Several high ranking NSI officers and field officers were sacked by BNP government after found connected with the 10-Truck Arms and Ammunition Haul in Chittagong case, and were later convicted, who were:

  • Former Director General of NSI: Brigadier General Abdur Rahim.
  • Former Director: Wing Commander Shahabuddin Ahmed
  • Former Assistant Director: Major Liakat Hossain
  • Former Field Officer: Akbar Hossain

Killing of labour activists

NSI's name had appeared several times during the trial of the mysterious murder of labour rights activist Aminul Islam in April 2012. The only convict, Aminul's friend Mostafijur Rahman was found a mystery man, about whom no one knew much, who apparently had a cover job at an EPZ clinic and regularly met with security officers, is believed to be linked with NSI, though the court has not asked the agency for clarification and nor did the prosecution try to bring them, media has speculated such controversies, though denied by the agency.[15]

gollark: I have backups of critical things on a USB stick I carry with me.
gollark: No, I also use MultiMC. I just use an older version which does not seem to force me to migrate.
gollark: That's just MultiMC doing things. I have a slightly old version.
gollark: Trivially.
gollark: Well, I can still join stuff despite never getting round to migrating.

See also

References
  1. জাতীয় নিরাপত্তা গোয়েন্দা অধিদপ্তরের বহুতল বিশিষ্ট প্রধান কার্যালয় ভবনের ভিত্তি প্রস্তর স্থাপন, ভাষণ, মাননীয় প্রধানমন্ত্রী, শেখ হাসিনা (১৭ জানুয়ারি ২০১৫).
  2. প্রধানমন্ত্রী শেখ হাসিনা এনএসআই এর প্রধান কার্যালয়ের ভিত্তিপ্রস্তর স্থাপন অনুষ্ঠানে বক্তৃতা করেন… -The Prime Minister's Office-Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh – প্রধানমন্ত্রীর কার্যালয়-গণপ্রজাতন্ত্রী বাংলাদেশ সরকার.
  3. গোয়েন্দাদের সতর্ক থাকতে বললেন প্রধানমন্ত্রী. Bangladesh Pratidin (in Bengali).
  4. ৫৬ কোটি টাকায় এনএসআই-এর জন্য বহুতল ভবন. bdnews24.com (in Bengali).
  5. Alffram, Henrik (May 2009). "Ignoring Executions and Torture: Impunity for Bangladesh's Security Forces". Human Rights Watch Bangladesh (May 2009): 20.
  6. "5 new Advisers take oath in Bangladesh". www.oneindia.com. 9 January 2008. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  7. "Ex-NSI DG Wahidul indicted in war crimes case". banglanews24.com. 16 October 2019. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  8. "Rahim, Rezzaqul at Dhaka Central Jail". Dhaka Tribune. 1 February 2014. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  9. "Rezakul new NSI boss". The Daily Star. 5 January 2005. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  10. "Maj Gen Monir new NSI DG". The Daily Star. 20 April 2008. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  11. "Retired Brig Gen Manzur new NSI chief". The Daily Star. 17 March 2009. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  12. "NSI gets new DG". banglanews24.com. 25 March 2014. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  13. "Major General TM Jobayer named NSI Director General". bdnews24.com. 31 July 2018. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  14. "Envoy protests linking Bangladesh to attack". The Times of India.
  15. "Aminul murder: 'Who is so powerful that they killed Aminul — yet are still untouchable?'". Dhaka Tribune.
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