Subject Matter Expert Analysis: Bangladesh’s Proposed Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC)

Reading Time: 3 minutes The proposal to establish a Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) under Bangladesh’s Armed Forces Division marks a bold and strategically forward-thinking step. Designed as a brigade-level, tri-service strategic force, the JSOC aims to unify elite capabilities across land, air, and maritime domains, allowing Bangladesh to field a rapid reaction and hybrid warfare-enabled force for the 21st century. With growing regional volatility, asymmetric threats, and Bangladesh’s expanding defence diplomacy footprint, such a structure aligns well with global trends and doctrinal shifts seen in countries like the US, Turkey, and India. Strategic Rationale Modern threats demand rapid, scalable, and precise military responses. Bangladesh’s current special operations capability, while competent, is fragmented across the services: The Para Commando Brigade (Army) has proven itself in urban CT ops and UN deployments. SWADS (Navy) excels in maritime direct action and boarding missions. No 41 Squadron, BAF Counter-terrorism and airbase ground defence