Ayesha Farid

Ayesha Farid is a regional security specialist focusing on South Asia, with over a decade of experience analysing inter-state tensions, cross-border insurgency, and regional power dynamics. She has worked with leading policy think tanks and academic institutions, offering nuanced insights into the complex security challenges shaping the subcontinent. Ayesha’s expertise spans military doctrines, border disputes, and regional cooperation frameworks, making her a vital contributor to BDMilitary’s coverage of South Asian strategic affairs. She leads the Geopolitics & Diplomacy section at BDMilitary. Ayesha holds a dual master’s degree — a Master in International Relations from the IE School of Politics, Economics & Global Affairs, Spain, and a Master of Public Policy from the Munk School of Global Affairs, University of Toronto, Canada — combining deep academic insight with practical policy expertise.

Foreign Secretary Md Jashim Uddin’s Sudden Exit: Diplomacy, Dissent, and Strategic Discord

Posted on 20/05/202520/05/2025 by Ayesha Farid

Reading Time: 4 minutesKey Points: Md Jashim Uddin’s tenure as Bangladesh’s Foreign Secretary, which began in September 2024, appears set to conclude abruptly, marred by internal dissent, public scrutiny, and contentious foreign policy decisions. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) is now preparing for a leadership transition, with Dr Nazrul Islam, Secretary (East), Continue Reading

Countering Indian Hegemony through a Rohingya Safe Zone

Posted on 20/05/202520/05/2025 by Ayesha Farid

Reading Time: 6 minutesThe Bay of Bengal is undergoing a pivotal geopolitical transformation. India’s attempt to assert regional hegemony through initiatives such as the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project is increasingly being challenged by civil unrest in Myanmar and the evolving strategic interests of regional and global powers. This essay critically examines India’s Continue Reading

How India’s Neighbourly Relations and Secret Deals Undermine the Quad Alliance and Regional Stability

Posted on 19/05/202517/06/2025 by Ayesha Farid

Reading Time: 7 minutesThe Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) comprising India, the United States, Japan, and Australia has emerged as a pivotal strategic framework aimed at ensuring a free, open, and rules-based Indo-Pacific region. The Quad is often portrayed as a collective effort to balance China’s expanding military and economic influence, foster regional security, Continue Reading

Strategic Autonomy and Pragmatic Engagement: Rethinking Bangladesh–Pakistan Relations

Posted on 18/05/202518/05/2025 by Ayesha Farid

Reading Time: 8 minutesThe trajectory of Bangladesh’s foreign policy since independence in 1971 has been defined by pragmatism, restraint, and a persistent drive to protect its sovereignty. Anchored in the constitutional principle of “friendship to all, malice toward none,” Dhaka’s foreign relations have sought to strike a careful balance between neighbourhood sensitivities and Continue Reading

South Korea’s Nuclear Calculus: Implications for Regional Stability and Lessons for Bangladesh

Posted on 18/05/202518/05/2025 by Ayesha Farid

Reading Time: 8 minutesSouth Korea is increasingly reconsidering its long-standing non-nuclear stance due to the growing unreliability of U.S. extended deterrence, North Korea’s evolving nuclear threat, and shifting regional dynamics. This brief outlines the motivations behind Seoul’s strategic calculations, assesses the feasibility of an indigenous nuclear programme, explores the regional and global repercussions Continue Reading