Awami League leaders warn of rising Islamic fundamentalism, Pakistan’s influence, and challenges to Bangladesh’s democracy.
New Delhi: The political landscape in Bangladesh has taken a dramatic and troubling turn, with Senior Awami League leader and party’s Joint Secretary AFM BahauddinNasim warning of the increasing influence of Islamic fundamentalists within society.
Speaking exclusively to The Sunday Guardian from an undisclosed location, the senior Awami League leader painted a grim picture of Bangladesh current state, alleging that radical end extremist groups backed by Pakistan’s intelligence agency, ISI, are systematically dismantling the country’s secular ethos.
Nasim further claimed that the situation in Bangladesh has worsened significantly since the August 5 incident, which he described as a “blow to democracy” that allowed jihadists and radical elements to enter the mainstream.
According to him, ISI has become one of the key players behind the scenes in Bangladesh,working to turn the country into a safe haven and stronghold for Islamic fundamentalists.
“This is not just a political shift; this is an attack on the secular ethos of democracy and a strong attempt to re-write our country’s history”, he said.
“ISI is using its proxies—radical organisations and Jamaat-e-Islami—to reshape the country’s narrative, erasing its secular foundations”, he said.
Attacking the chief of the interim government, Prof Muhammad Yunus, Nasim said that most of his advisors have affiliations with extremist groups or are hardcore fundamentalists.
He accused Jamaat-e-Islami and Hizbut-Tahrir (HuT) of radicalising society at an alarming pace.
On the growing ties between Dhaka and Islamabad, Nasim expressed “deep concerns” over meetings between ProfYunus and Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, as well as other discussions involving defence and ISI personnel.
“It is deeply concerning that Pakistani goods are now arriving in Bangladesh in large volumes. We recently saw a cargo ship from Pakistan docked at Chittagong port—this is the first time since 1971 that such a maritime connection has been established between the two nations,” he said.
According to Nasim, ISI wants to avenge Pakistan’s defeat in 1971 and is doing so by infiltrating the Bangladeshi government with jihadists.
Similarly, another top leader of Awami League, Mohammad A. Arafat,a member of the party’s central executive committee and former Minister for Information and Broadcasting,told TSG that all Awami League cadres were attacked after August 5, and their houses were looted.
“To survive these targeted killings, attacks, and lootings sponsored by the interim government and other extremist outfits, we (Awami League leaders) had to flee or hide, as we had no other option,” he added.
On the rise of Jamaat and other Islamist fundamentalist outfits, Arafat said, “The headquarters of Jamaat is in Lahore. They were the ones who supported Pakistan in 1971. It is not a coincidence that they are at the forefront again. ProfYunus is just a face, but in reality, it’s these jihadist outfits with links to Pakistan who are creating chaos in Bangladesh, promoting animosity against India, and radicalising our people.”
Both leaders expressed hope that the Awami League is now ready to begin its second inning and emphasised that “Sheikh Hasina is the tallest leader of Bangladesh.”