Flags Of Banned Terror Outfit Fly In Dhaka As India Deals With Pakistan On Western Front
Jasimuddin Rahmani, a radical Islamist cleric and spiritual leader of Ansarullah Bangla Team, a banned terrorist organisation in Bangladesh, was also present in the protest
At a time when India is engaged with its western neighbour Pakistan, the down sliding of its eastern neighbour Bangladesh to radical Islam could prove to be another concern for India. On Friday night, when India was engaged with Pakistan, flags of terror organisation Hizb ut-Tahrir—which is banned in India—were flaunted openly on the streets on Bangladesh's capital Dhaka.
In a protest in Shahbagh area of Dhaka, a video of which was seen by News18, multiple Hizb ut-Tahrir flags can be seen waving without any objections during a protest to ban former prime minister Sheikh Hasina's Awami League. In what may raise eyebrows in South Block, there were religious slogans in Urdu peppered in between.
Hizb ut-Tahrir (HT) seeks to create a global Islamic caliphate governed by Sharia, viewing it as a divine obligation for Muslims, much like the Islamic State. They see systems like democracy, capitalism or secularism as assaults on Islamic governance. Hizb ut-Tahrir is a pan-Islamist organisation that came to the limelight since Hasina's exit. Despite being 'banned' in Bangladesh, the outfit behaves politically, often seen waving ISIS flags along with its own. The terror outfit is banned in 13 countries for having close links with al Qaeda and ISIS.
On Friday, many political parties and social organisations like National Citizen Party, Islami Andolan, Hefajat-e-Islam, Jamat-e-Islam, AB Party among others were present at Dhaka's Shahbag protest.
Also, Jasimuddin Rahmani, a Bangladeshi radical Islamist cleric and spiritual leader of Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT), a banned terrorist organisation in Bangladesh, was also present in the protest.
Bangladeshi journalist Shahidul Hasan Khokon says the protests are more than just anti-Hasina political movements. 'Dissent, protest and anti-government movements are nothing new in Bangladesh's political culture. But when those protests are covered with the symbols of a foreign terrorist organisation, the question arises—who is this protest for? Who are behind it? Whose language is being borrowed? These are organisations that oppose democracy, women's rights, religious tolerance, and cultural diversity—everything. Do they want to establish a 'Caliphate'-based regime, where dissent, different beliefs and different thoughts are forbidden?"
At a time when India is dealing with a radical Pakistan joined by Turkey, it certainly can't afford to take its eyes off its eastern borders.
First Published:
May 10, 2025, 14:26 IST
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