Deep State: A Parallel Governance System Against Democracy

A mysterious force that influences a state's political and administrative policymaking while remaining hidden from the public eye is known as the ‘Deep State.’ According to political scientists and analysts, this is essentially a powerful circle active in parallel to the elected government, rooted within administrative, military, and intelligence levels. The waves of visible government changes hardly affect this structure.

Instead, they continue to implement their own long-term agendas under the pretext of national interest.

Analyst Robert Kaplan has described this nature of the modern state as a ‘permanent structure.’ According to him, while political leadership is transient, this invisible force (Deep State) is permanent, pulling the strings from behind the curtain.

Michael Crowley, a White House correspondent for the New York Times, has called it the ‘invisible state.’ According to his analysis, this force operates beyond the control of civilian political leadership. Especially in developing countries where institutions are weak, the monopolistic influence of military and intelligence chiefs over the policies and decisions of the elected government is seen as an expression of the ‘Deep State.’

In the political context of Bangladesh, the term ‘Deep State’ has recently come into global discussion anew. This started after a meeting between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump in Washington in February 2025. During a press conference there, Trump was asked directly whether the US ‘Deep State’ had any role in the fall of the Awami League government in Bangladesh in 2024.

Although Trump directly rejected that possibility, the question created widespread curiosity regarding the change of power in Bangladesh and the role of invisible forces in international politics.

Internally in Bangladesh, this discussion resurfaced with a sensational claim by Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain, an adviser to the former interim government. Recently, he claimed that after taking responsibility in 2024, this so-called ‘Deep State’ gave them a bait to stay in power until 2029.

Although various domestic and foreign vested interest groups were involved behind this force, he did not disclose any specific names for strategic reasons. His statement sparked new debate about the existence of an active invisible syndicate behind the scenes of power in Bangladesh.

In the definition of the Oxford Dictionary, the ‘Deep State’ is a body of people, typically influential members of government agencies or the military, who believe they have secret control over government policy.

Writer and activist Kallol Mustafa says, ‘What is Deep State again? Those who influence politics in various ways include: various intelligence agencies, the military, the bureaucracy, influential businessmen and civil society, and foreign embassies. It must be stated clearly what they wanted to do with whom. Otherwise, trying to create a fog by speaking of something like a ‘Deep State’ will be of no use.’

However, Dr. Sabbir Ahmed, a professor in the Department of Political Science at Dhaka University, gave a detailed explanation of the formation of this circle. According to him, it may include not only the military or intelligence agencies but also the influential bureaucracy, representatives of foreign powers, large business syndicates, and even a section of civil society.

‘They collectively act as an “invisible syndicate,” where the visible government merely gives legal approval to the decisions taken by them,’ he added.

Analysts say that to strengthen the democratic system, it is essential to ensure transparency at every level of the administration and establish direct public control over the political leadership.