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.

No Country for Invaders: Bangladesh and the New Meaning of Strategic Depth

Posted on 22/10/202522/10/2025 by Ayesha Farid

Reading Time: 6 minutesEditorial Excerpt Conventional wisdom says Bangladesh’s lack of strategic depth is a weakness. In reality, its rivers, people, and partnerships make it one of the hardest countries in Asia to invade. This analysis explores how Bangladesh’s geography, manpower, and diplomacy together create a formidable multi-layered deterrent. Introduction: Rethinking a Classic Continue Reading

Bangladesh and Türkiye: Defence Cooperation Enters a Strategic Phase

Posted on 19/10/202519/10/2025 by Ayesha Farid

Reading Time: 4 minutesAfter years of polite but limited engagement, Bangladesh and Türkiye are entering a new era of purposeful defence cooperation — one centred on industrial collaboration, capacity-building, and technological exchange. Since the political transition in Dhaka, relations have accelerated across the board. What had long been a cordial but cautious relationship Continue Reading

Bangladesh’s Monsoon Revolution: Political Collapse, Mass Atrocities, and Strategic Shifts

Posted on 16/10/202516/10/2025 by Ayesha Farid

Reading Time: 5 minutesBetween 16 July and 5 August 2024, Bangladesh experienced one of the most profound political upheavals in its modern history, now widely referred to as the Monsoon Revolution. What began as student-led protests demanding reforms in government job quotas quickly escalated into a nationwide uprising against entrenched corruption, authoritarian governance, Continue Reading

Bangladesh’s Hidden Trillions: Why Formalising the Economy is the Key to National Power

Posted on 15/10/202515/10/2025 by Ayesha Farid

Reading Time: 3 minutesBangladesh’s economy is far larger than official figures suggest. The recorded gross domestic product (GDP) for 2025 stands at around USD 475 billion, according to IMF and World Bank projections. But when the vast informal economy — unregistered small businesses, cash transactions, and untaxed income — is accounted for, Bangladesh’s Continue Reading

India’s Strategic Dilemma in Post-Hasina Bangladesh

Posted on 13/10/202513/10/2025 by Ayesha Farid

Reading Time: 5 minutesFrom Intelligence Collapse to Strategic Isolation Key Points For more than fifteen years, India regarded Bangladesh as its most dependable ally in South Asia. Under Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League, New Delhi enjoyed extraordinary access to Dhaka’s political, security and economic spheres. The partnership extended far beyond diplomacy; it was an Continue Reading