A country that is dominated by Muslims had managed to keep at bay to a large extent Islamic radicals. A protest by students to oust Sheikh Hasina as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh worked out, and ultimately, she had to flee the country.
The students then insisted on Muhammad Yunus taking over, and they promised that Bangladesh would now usher under the golden age. However, true to what happens in most Islamic nations, Bangladesh has plunged into chaos, and today, it is being dictated by rabid Islamists. Proof of this is the rally taken out by the Hizbul-ut-Tahrir (huT) in which demands to bring back the Khilafat was made.
Islamists want Khilafat back
Hundreds of Islamists took out a march chanting ‘Khilafat Khilafat’ on the streets of Dhaka. Even more surprising was that the march was taken out by the Hizbul-ut-Tahrir, a banned terror outfit. The HuT was banned in 2009 by Bangladesh for its radical acts and involvement in terrorism. This is an outfit that works closely with Al-Qaeda.
An Intelligence Bureau official tells Organiser that this march signals the coming together of radical Islamists. They want to challenge the government and ensure that there is no democracy. Yunus, on the other hand, finds himself caught between the devil and the deep sea.
On one hand, he encourages the students who backed him to float a political outfit. He even spoke about holding elections, although he had not specified any date. This march taken out so brazenly only shows that the radicals want to take out any sort of democratic process left in the country.
The massive rally by the HuT started from the Baitul Muharram National Mosque after prayers and was attended by thousands of Islamists. The police did step in to block the rally but were clearly overpowered by the rabid mob.
There are major concerns about these developments not just in Bangladesh but also in Delhi. The radicals are not showing any signs of slowing down and feel that in the absence of a democratically elected government, they can have their way. Further, they have complete backing from ISI, which Yunus has generously allowed into his country.
The ISI calls the shots, and such rallies are completely backed by the rogue spy agency, so there is turmoil in the country. It is a well-known fact that Pakistan has no economic interests in Bangladesh. True to itself, Pakistan is only looking to use Bangladesh as a launch pad for terrorists against India. This was the same strategy it tried to adopt in Afghanistan, but it backfired after the Taliban turned its back on the Pakistan army.
The Islamisation of Bangladesh
The manner in which events are unfolding in Bangladesh is on the verge of becoming a full-fledged Islamic nation which will be governed under the Sharia law. Watching the developments, many leaders in Bangladesh say that the country is heading towards Talibanisation under the Yunus government.
To make matters worse, Yunus has taken a soft stance on these elements. These groups aided the students’ agitation, which led to the ousting of Sheikh Hasina. This had, in fact, helped Yunus become the caretaker of the interim government. This explains the soft stance he has towards these elements.
“The Islamist organisation Hizb-ut-Tahrir was banned by Sheikh Hasina. Because of her strong stance against jihadists and Islamic extremists, followers of these groups always hated her; therefore, they also had a violent participation in the movement against her government in July-August,” Mohammad Arafat who was a junior minister in the Sheikh Hasina government said.
He also took to X and added, ‘ Yunus regime took a lenient stance towards these groups and Islamists in general just because they are anti-Sheikh Hasina. Now, Bangladesh under Yunus is heading toward the path of radicalisation/ Talibanisation.’
It is a fact that the HuT does not care about the administration. Despite being banned in 2009, they gathered in large numbers and began their protest demanding the creation of a Caliphate. They said that it had been 101 years, and now it was time for the Caliphate to return.
The Dhaka Metropolitan Police had issued a warning against the gathering. However, there was very little that they could do to stop the movement in which HuT cadres were shouting ‘Khilafat, Khilafat.’
Due to this protest, there were violent clashes, and normal life was disrupted. The locals were forced to take shelter as the clashes broke out.
What lies in store for India
These developments are anything but good news for India. Since the Yunus government took over, Hindus have been persecuted, Temples vandalised and Hindu leaders arrested.
When groups such as the HuT which openly advocate for the setting up of a global Islamic Caliphate, it only means that they want the rule of the Sharia. The HuT is also banned in India, and it has several modules, especially in South India. A week back, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested three HuT terrorists from Tamil Nadu.
The NIA said that the accused had conspired to propagate the ideology of the HuT by conducting secret Bayaans. They were also involved in organising an exhibition to showcase the military might of the Islamic nations, which would be invited to overthrow the Indian government.
This clearly shows that the HuT is very active in India., Further, if they are having a free run in Bangladesh, then the problem tends to spill into India. The Intelligence agencies are keeping a close watch on the activities of all such terror groups which have their linkages to Bangladesh.
For now, not much is happening on the diplomatic front. India, for the time being, can only have enhanced security along the border and also ensure that the evil designs of such terror groups do not succeed in the country.
