Indian intelligence agencies have expressed concern following the discovery of a senior US Special Forces officer’s body in Dhaka.
Terrence Arvelle Jackson, Command Inspector General for the 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne), was found dead on August 31 in Room 808 of the Westin Hotel. He was around 50 years old and hailed from Raeford, North Carolina.
Preliminary investigations by Dhaka police suggest natural causes, with no evidence of foul play. Jackson’s body was handed over to the US embassy without an autopsy, raising questions about the handling of the case.
Veteran soldier with key role in special operations
Jackson had served in the United States Army for more than 20 years, including multiple combat deployments and temporary assignments across the Asia Theater.
According to his professional profile, he joined the US Army in 2006 after three years with the Army National Guard and planned to retire within two years.
The 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne), headquartered at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, specialises in organising and deploying forces for full-spectrum special operations in support of USSOCOM, Geographic Combatant Commanders and other US government agencies.
Sources in Bangladesh’s intelligence community confirmed Jackson had been on a “business trip” for several months. He checked into the Westin Hotel on August 29, but the precise nature of his activities, the people he met, and the places he visited remain unclear.
Indian intelligence agencies are treating the episode with caution, monitoring whether the officer’s presence points to a deeper strategic role in the region.
Spotlight on former Ambassador Peter Haas
Adding to Indian concerns are repeated visits to Bangladesh by former US Ambassador Peter Haas. Now serving as Strategic Adviser to Texas-based Excelerate Energy, Haas has visited the country at least six times in the past year.
While officially described as business-related in the LNG sector, intelligence officials believe the timing and nature of his interactions suggest activities beyond corporate diplomacy.
On August 5, Haas reportedly met in Cox’s Bazar with five leaders of the National Coordination Platform (NCP), an alliance tied to the Anti-Discrimination Students Movement, which played a pivotal role in Bangladesh’s recent political shift.
India monitoring US presence in Dhaka
The simultaneous presence of a senior US Special Forces officer and frequent visits by a former ambassador have raised red flags in New Delhi.
Indian intelligence agencies are closely tracking US activity in Bangladesh, viewing it through the lens of regional security dynamics, the recent political transition in Dhaka, and potential geopolitical recalibrations in South Asia.