Directorate General of Forces Intelligence

The DGFI was originally formed as Directorate of Forces Intelligence (DFI) in 1972. A major impetus for the creation of the agency was to monitor unforeseen threats from neighboring and foreign armed forces, especially India and Pakistan. DFI was headquartered in Segunbagicha, Bailey Road, Dhaka. Upon its creation, the role of DFI was strictly limited to sharing intelligence it gathered with the armed forces. The nascent DFI achieved very little and was overshadowed by National Security Intelligence (NSI), Bangladesh's principal intelligence agency.[11]

In May 2014, a New Monogram of the DGFI was unveiled at its Headquarter. The Lotus placed on the center of the monogram, The National Flower Lotus expressing the ethnicity of independent sovereign Bangladesh. The eight light emission around the lotus expressing Patriotism, Loyalty, Discipline, Concentration, Alertness, Prudence, and Efficiency of the activities of the agency. At the bottom "Bangladesh" there are two stars at each side and a total of four stars representing the four fundamental principles of the constitution of Bangladesh, Nationalism, Secularism, Socialism and Democracy.[12]

The DGFI is headed by a Director-General, who is traditionally a serving Major-General (Two-star general) in the Bangladesh Army. Seven Deputy Director-Generals report directly to the Director-General with each deputy heading their assigned wings respectively:

• Directorate of Operations (MI, AI, NI)

Provide Bangladesh Armed Forces with foreign intelligence on other nations' armed forces.

• Directorate of Joint Intelligence

Works with National Security Intelligence (NSI), Special Branch, Detective Branch and Rapid Action Battalion to gather detective and anti-state intelligence.

• Counter-Intelligence Bureau (CIB)

Information classified.

• Counter Terrorism and Intelligence Bureau (CTIB)

Elite covert intelligence unit of Directorate General of Forces Intelligence, tasked with combating terrorism, gathering intelligence on internal or external threat to Bangladesh and counter-attack.

• Bureau X

Classified. Reported to be foreign intelligence and espionage unit consisting of highly-specialized spies.[13]

• Internal Affairs Bureau (IAB)

Monitors national political and strategic affairs.

• External Affairs Bureau (EAB)

Monitors international political and strategic affairs.

• Cyber Intelligence Bureau

Provide national cyber security and monitor online platforms.

• Signals Intelligence Bureau (SIB)

Monitors national telecommunication.

• Press and Public Media Bureau (PPMB)

Monitors press/publications and media. Also acts as liaison to public.

Twelve bureau and nineteen detachments make up the primary structure of the organisation. The total manpower for DGFI is estimated to be around 12,000. The Commanding post for DGFI is the DG followed by the DDG, Director, Senior Additional Director, Additional Director, Deputy Director and Assistant Director. Officers from armed forces posted here on deputation. Some civilion officer also works for DGFI recruited by Chief Administrative Officer, Ministry of Defence, Bangladesh.

Counter Terrorism and Intelligence Bureau (CTIB), is an elite counter terrorism intelligence unit of DGFI.[14] The Bureau was established in 2006 from the counterterrorism wing of DGFI which was established in 2002.[15] The bureau was established along with the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), and the counter terrorism cell of National Security Intelligence (NSI). CTIB is responsible for collecting and analysing intelligence on internal threats and counterattacks. The unit is directed by Brigadier General S M Matiur Rahman. CTIB agents are recruited from the Armed Forces and are responsible for gathering intelligence and executing special operations.

The DGFI and its activities are highly classified and confidential to both the mass media and civilians. The functions and priorities of DGFI have changed throughout the years and vary with the country's political situations and foreign affairs. The primary function of the DGFI is the collection of foreign military intelligence, however during recent times, the agency has extended its role to economic, political and foreign intelligence. DGFI maintains active collaborations with very few other secret services around the world.

Military Experts have termed the subcontinent as a beehive of intelligence and counterintelligence activity and labelled the DGFI, ISI, CIA, FSB, R&AW, MSS, Mossad, and MI6 as the big players in the Asian intelligence Scene.

• In 1998, Lieutenant General S.K. Sinha, then the Governor of Assam and later the Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, wrote a report to K.R Narayanan, then the President of India claiming massive illegal immigration from Bangladesh was directly linked with the long-cherished design of Greater Bangladesh. Sinha identified the design to be a brainchild of DGFI.[16]
• In 2008, Tasneem Khalil, a CNN news representative accused DGFI of arresting, and torturing him for twenty-two hours for criticizing the military for using the interim government as a cover for de facto army rule.[17]
• In 2008, several leading Indian newspaper accused DGFI of operating in north-east India. Several Indian politicians accused DGFI of backing ULFA with training and financing. No evidences were found to establish the allegations. Journalist Bertil Lintner's book "Great Game East", recounts his meeting with ULFA military wing chief Paresh Barua in a DGFI safehouse in Dhaka on 29 April 1996.[18][19][20][21][22]
• In 2009, in the aftermath of Bangladesh Rifles rovolt, security forces detained more than 6000 BDR members. At least 47 detained BDR members reportedly died in custody.[23] DGFI was accused of torturing them to death.[24] DGFI allegedly ran torture cells in many rooms of its headquarters building located in Kachukhet, Dhaka Cantonment.[25]
• In 2011, British newspaper The Guardian accused DGFI of torturing several British citizens in an unknown torture cell. Among the alleged victims, Jamil Rahman, a British national accused DGFI of repeatedly torturing him for over two years. He also accused British intelligence unit MI5 of working with DGFI. No evidences were found to support the allegations.[26][27]
• In 2015, DGFI was accused of blocking major companies from advertising in two major newspapers in Bangladesh; the daily Prothom Alo and the Daily Star, causing a loss of $2 million during the first month. Telenor, which owns a 55% stake in Grameenphone admitted that top-level officers from DGFI forced them to stop advertising in these two newspapers. However, other large corporations refused to comment on the issue. "We were informed by our clients that due to unavoidable circumstances, we should stop all advertisements in Prothom Alo and the Daily Star," Alam said. "We initially continued to advertise in the magazine supplements, but that was also stopped."[28]
• In 2018, Bangladesh's Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha accused DGFI of forcing him to resign by threatening 'serious consequences' if he refuse to do so. In a controversial book "A Broken Dream: Rule of Law, Human Rights & Democracy", he describes DGFI treatment as so cruel that it could be compared with none other than the Gestapo force of Hitler. Sinha's allegations are refuted by several high level legal officers, including the attorney general Mahbubey Alam, who said , Justice SK Sinha has written the book basing on his wild imagination, not on facts. There is no need to take this book seriously.[29]

DGFI, like any other intelligence agency, collects information through human espionage. They have conducted numerous operations over the course of decades.

• 10-Truck Arms and Ammunition Haul in Chittagong
• National Committee for Intelligence Coordination
• National Security Intelligence