National Security Intelligence Explained

The National Security Intelligence, commonly known as the NSI, is the principal civilian intelligence agency of Bangladesh. The NSI's headquarters is in Segunbagicha, Dhaka. 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]

This is an independent civilian intelligence agency. Today, its internal security functions are similar to the British security service MI5, while the foreign intelligence function does not quite resemble the MI6. 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, and different religious groups; counter-terrorism, counter-intelligence, political intelligence, and giving 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 Secretary of Bangladesh Government or two-star military officer from Bangladesh Army. 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, and Research Officer. Some directorates of NSI are Internal, Dhaka Wing, Border, External, Security, Media wing, Training, Political, Eco-Security, Administration, Research, Counter-Terrorism cell, 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 start 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

Mohammad Mesbahuddin (1972-August 1975)

• A. B. S. Safdar (August 1975 - 1990)
• Brigadier General A. J. M. Aminul Haque, Bir Uttom (1993 - 1996)
• Major General Golam Kader (1996)^[6]
• Major General Mustafizur Rahman (1996 - 1997)
• Colonel Mohammad Wahidul Haque (acting; 1997 – 1998)^[7]
• Kazi Moshiur Rahman (1998 - 2000)
• Major General Abdur Rahim (2001 – 5 January 2005)^[8]
• Major General Rezzakul Haider Chowdhury (5 January 2005 –2008)^{[9] [8]}
• Major General Sheikh Md Monirul Islam (20 April 2008 – 17 March 2009)^{[10] [11]}
• Brigadier General (rtd) M Manzur Ahmed (17 March 2009 – 25 March 2014)^[12]
• Major General Shamsul Haque (25 March 2014 – 31 July 2018)^[13]
• Major General T. M. Jobaer (since 31 July 2018 - 03 April 2024)^[14]
• Major General Mohammed Hossain Al Morshed (03 April 2024 - 13 August 2024)^[15]
• Major General Abu Mohammad Sarwar Farid (13 August 2024 - present)

Duties

The principal activities of the NSI National Security Intelligence are:

• Gathering information by any or all means about foreign governments, organizations, 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.

Notable Foreign Operations

Yemen

• On February 11, 2022, Lt. Col. (Retd.) Sufiul Anam, a Bangladeshi individual employed by the United Nations, was abducted from Yemen's Mudiah province by members of al-Qaeda. A ransom of $3 million was demanded for his release. Fortunately, after 18 months in captivity, he has been successfully rescued by the National Security Intelligence (NSI). ^[16]

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 labor activists.^[5]

Ten-truck arms and ammunition haul in Chittagong

Several high-ranking NSI officers and field officers were sacked by the BNP government after being 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 labor 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.^[17]

In Fiction

• In the Web TV Series Contract (2021), Arifin Shuvoo played the character of Bastard a fictional codename of a retired NSI Agent and Hitman who was given the last task to hunt down an underworld drug lord named Black Ranju (played by Chanchal Chowdhury)

See also

• National Committee for Intelligence Coordination
• Directorate General of Forces Intelligence
• Counter Terrorism and Intelligence Bureau
• Director General of Forces Intelligence
• President Guard Regiment

Notes and References

1. Web site: http://pmo.portal.gov.bd/sites/default/files/files/pmo.portal.gov.bd/pm_speech/50fa9683_c2e3_48d3_9f05_09e322d4a726/NSI_bhaban_170115.doc. bn:জাতীয় নিরাপত্তা গোয়েন্দা অধিদপ্তরের বহুতল বিশিষ্ট প্রধান কার্যালয় ভবনের ভিত্তি প্রস্তর স্থাপন, ভাষণ, মাননীয় প্রধানমন্ত্রী, শেখ হাসিনা (১৭ জানুয়ারি ২০১৫).
2. Web site: http://www.pmo.gov.bd/site/news/506c25bf-3d1f-467e-85e5-b12b452005d3/%25E0%25A6%25AA%25E0%25A7%258D%25E0%25A6%25B0%25E0%25A6%25A7%25E0%25A6%25BE%25E0%25A6%25A8%25E0%25A6%25AE%25E0%25A6%25A8%25E0%25A7%258D%25E0%25A6%25A4%25E0%25A7%258D%25E0%25A6%25B0%25E0%25A7%2580-%25E0%25A6%25B6%25E0%25A7%2587%25E0%25A6%2596-%25E0%25A6%25B9%25E0%25A6%25BE%25E0%25A6%25B8%25E0%25A6%25BF%25E0%25A6%25A8%25E0%25A6%25BE-%25E0%25A6%258F%25E0%25A6%25A8%25E0%25A6%258F%25E0%25A6%25B8%25E0%25A6%2586%25E0%25A6%2587-%25E0%25A6%258F%25E0%25A6%25B0-%25E0%25A6%25AA%25E0%25A7%258D%25E0%25A6%25B0%25E0%25A6%25A7%25E0%25A6%25BE%25E0%25A6%25A8-%25E0%25A6%2595%25E0%25A6%25BE%25E0%25A6%25B0%25E0%25A7%258D%25E0%25A6%25AF%25E0%25A6%25BE%25E0%25A6%25B2%25E0%25A7%259F%25E0%25A7%2587%25E0%25A6%25B0-%25E0%25A6%25AD%25E0%25A6%25BF%25E0%25A6%25A4%25E0%25A7%258D%25E0%25A6%25A4%25E0%25A6%25BF%25E0%25A6%25AA%25E0%25A7%258D%25E0%25A6%25B0%25E0%25A6%25B8%25E0%25A7%258D%25E0%25A6%25A4%25E0%25A6%25B0-%25E0%25A6%25B8%25E0%25A7%258D%25E0%25A6%25A5%25E0%25A6%25BE%25E0%25A6%25AA%25E0%25A6%25A8-%25E0%25A6%2585%25E0%25A6%25A8%25E0%25A7%2581%25E0%25A6%25B7%25E0%25A7%258D%25E0%25A6%25A0%25E0%25A6%25BE%25E0%25A6%25A8%25E0%25A7%2587-%25E0%25A6%25AC%25E0%25A6%2595%25E0%25A7%258D%25E0%25A6%25A4%25E0%25A7%2583%25E0%25A6%25A4%25E0%25A6%25BE-%25E0%25A6%2595%25E0%25A6%25B0%25E0%25A7%2587%25E0%25A6%25A8%25E2%2580%25A6. https://web.archive.org/web/20170804042203/http://pmo.gov.bd/site/news/506c25bf-3d1f-467e-85e5-b12b452005d3/%E0%A6%AA%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%A7%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A8%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%A8%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A4%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%80-%E0%A6%B6%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%96-%E0%A6%B9%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%A8%E0%A6%BE-%E0%A6%8F%E0%A6%A8%E0%A6%8F%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%86%E0%A6%87-%E0%A6%8F%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%AA%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%A7%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A8-%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AF%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B2%E0%A7%9F%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%AD%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%A4%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A4%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%AA%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%B8%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A4%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%B8%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A5%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%AA%E0%A6%A8-%E0%A6%85%E0%A6%A8%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%B7%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A0%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A8%E0%A7%87-%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%95%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A4%E0%A7%83%E0%A6%A4%E0%A6%BE-%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%A8%E2%80%A6. dead. 4 August 2017. bn: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. News: http://www.bd-pratidin.com/first-page/2015/01/18/56891. bn:গোয়েন্দাদের সতর্ক থাকতে বললেন প্রধানমন্ত্রী. Bangladesh Pratidin. 18 January 2015. bn. 30 December 2016. 30 December 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161230161207/http://www.bd-pratidin.com/first-page/2015/01/18/56891. live.
4. News: http://bangla.bdnews24.com/economy/article937722.bdnews. bn:৫৬ কোটি টাকায় এনএসআই-এর জন্য বহুতল ভবন. bdnews24.com. bn. 30 December 2016. 4 May 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200504091855/http://bangla.bdnews24.com/economy/article937722.bdnews. live.
5. Alffram. Henrik. Ignoring Executions and Torture: Impunity for Bangladesh's Security Forces. Human Rights Watch Bangladesh. May 2009. May 2009. 20. 30 December 2016. 19 September 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190919114026/https://www.hrw.org/report/2009/05/18/ignoring-executions-and-torture/impunity-bangladeshs-security-forces. live.
6. Web site: 5 new Advisers take oath in Bangladesh. 2008-01-09. www.oneindia.com. en. 2020-01-25. 25 January 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200125233804/https://www.oneindia.com/2008/01/09/5-new-advisers-take-oath-in-bangladesh-1199887818.html. live.
7. News: Ex-NSI DG Wahidul indicted in war crimes case. banglanews24.com. 2019-10-16. en. 2020-01-25. 25 January 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200125231825/https://www.banglanews24.com/national/article/80556/Ex-NSI-DG-Wahidul-indicted-in-war-crimes-case. live.
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9. News: Rezakul new NSI boss. The Daily Star. 2005-01-05. 2020-01-25. 25 January 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200125233224/http://archive.thedailystar.net/2005/01/05/d50105011414.htm. dead.
10. News: Maj Gen Monir new NSI DG. 2008-04-20. The Daily Star. en. 2020-01-25. 26 January 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200126025236/https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-32967. live.
11. News: NSI Released Recruitment for 990 posts. 2021-03-21. The Daily Star. en. 2021-03-29. 28 May 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220528205928/https://enewresult.com/nsi-job-circular/. live.
12. News: Retired Brig Gen Manzur new NSI chief. 2009-03-17. The Daily Star. en. 2020-01-25. 25 January 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200125232857/https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-80079. live.
13. News: NSI gets new DG. 2014-03-25. banglanews24.com. en. 2020-01-25. 17 June 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190617102109/https://www.banglanews24.com/national/article/18066/NSI-gets-new-DG. live.
14. Web site: গণজাত বাংলােদশ সরকার: জনশাসন মণালয়: ষণ-১ শাখা . mopa.gov.bd . Bengali . 2 April 2024 . 2 April 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240402154539/https://mopa.gov.bd/sites/default/files/files/mopa.gov.bd/mopa_go/ccc17846_b281_4902_9b85_093821f5ab77/depu1-2024-365.pdf . live .
15. Web site: এনএসআইয়ের নতুন ডিজি হোসাইন আল মোরশেদ . Bengali . NSI's new DG Hossein Al Morshed . 2 April 2024 . live . https://archive.today/20240613143139/https://samakal.com/bangladesh/article/230814 . 2024-06-13.
16. Web site: 2023-08-09 . Abducted Bangladeshi UN official rescued from Al Qaeda in Yemen; thanks PM, govt . 2023-08-08 . The Business Standard . en . 9 August 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230809024956/https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/abducted-bangladeshi-un-official-rescued-al-qaeda-yemen-thanks-pm-govt-679334 . live .
17. News: Aminul murder: 'Who is so powerful that they killed Aminul — yet are still untouchable?' . Dhaka Tribune . 22 June 2019 . 22 June 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190622161445/https://www.dhakatribune.com/opinion/special/2018/04/19/aminul-murder-powerful-killed-aminul-yet-still-untouchable . live .