Bangladesh Welcomes Controversial Islamic Preacher Zakir Naik: Rising Concerns About Radicalization

Zakir Naik has frequently advocated for radical Islam and has openly expressed support for various terror organizations.

Following the 2016 Dhaka Holey Artisan Bakery terrorist attack, Sheikh Hasina's government banned Zakir Naik's Peace TV. This decision came after one of the attackers revealed that he and his fellow perpetrators were influenced by Naik's inflammatory speeches.

Currently, Bangladesh's government under Muhammad Yunus is preparing to welcome Naik with open arms. This gesture signals the increasing radicalization of the country since Sheikh Hasina's removal from power. The Yunus administration has authorized Naik's month-long visit scheduled from November 28 to December 20. During this period, Naik plans to travel extensively throughout Bangladesh delivering speeches.

Naik is notorious for his inflammatory rhetoric. He has consistently promoted radical Islamic ideologies and openly supported numerous terrorist groups. He faces multiple charges in India, with the National Investigation Agency (NIA) pursuing cases against him related to hate speech and incitement of communal discord.

This upcoming visit marks Naik's first trip to Bangladesh and occurs less than a year after Pakistan hosted him for a similar nationwide tour. In Pakistan, Naik received VIP treatment and met with top-ranking political leaders and officials.

Intelligence officials note that Naik maintains a strong anti-India stance. While operating in India, his NGOs engaged in various anti-national activities. His name has also emerged in several forced conversion cases in Kerala linked to the outlawed Popular Front of India (PFI).

Naik's visit coincides with Indian agencies raising alarms about growing radicalization in Bangladesh. The Yunus government, widely perceived as being influenced by Jamaat-e-Islami, has released numerous terrorists and fostered increased radicalization. It has also welcomed Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), which continues unchecked anti-India operations in Bangladesh.

Analysts suggest that Naik's Bangladesh trip has been strategically planned. During his month-long stay, he will travel to numerous regions across the country, delivering talks promoting violent interpretations of Islam.

If his Pakistan visit serves as an indicator, Naik will likely meet with leaders of terrorist organizations. During his time in Pakistan, he met with Lashkar-e-Taiba's top commanders Muzammil Iqbal Hashmi, Muhammad Harris Dhar, and Faisal Nadeem – all designated as terrorists by the United States since 2008.

His Bangladesh visit is expected to follow a similar pattern, with anticipated meetings with commanders from various terrorist groups including Harkat-ul-Jihadi Islami (HuJI) and Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB).

These two terrorist organizations have been identified by ISI for carrying out attacks against India. The ISI has dispatched senior commanders from Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad to Bangladesh to train HuJI and JMB members. While ISI has already formulated plans against India utilizing Bangladesh-based terrorist groups, Naik's visit is likely to strengthen such activities.

Following the 2016 Dhaka attack, Naik immediately left India. One of the attackers had stated that he was inspired by Naik's YouTube speeches. Naik currently resides in Malaysia and has been denied entry visas by both Britain and Canada.

Through his Peace TV network, Naik promotes violent interpretations of Islam. He has launched channels in both Urdu and Bangla languages. Naik is infamous for his controversial statement: "If bin Laden is fighting the enemies of Islam, I am for him. If he is terrorising America, the biggest terrorist, I am with him. Every Muslim should be a terrorist." However, he later claimed his words were taken out of context.