Bangladesh: Shibir-backed event for extremist triggers widespread concerns

Dhaka: Citing it as a “dangerous” development, a report has highlighted that Islami Chhatra Shibir, the student wing of Bangladesh’s radical Islamist party Jamaat-e-Islami, is seeking to establish extremist Asif Adnan at Dhaka University by portraying him as an innocent individual who was victimised by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s counterterrorism campaign.

Bangladesh police arrested Adnan and Fazle Elahi Tanzil from their homes in Dhaka in 2014 after investigators traced digital communications between the two men and Samiun Rahman, a Bangladeshi-origin UK national with alleged links to terrorist groups.

Subsequently, Samiun Rahman was also taken into custody in Dhaka over allegations that he was involved in recruiting people for the then-emerging terrorist group Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and Jabhat al-Nusra, an al-Qaeda-linked organisation operating in the Middle East.

Adnan is the son of a former High Court judge, while Tanzil’s father is a retired senior bureaucrat, a report in ‘Times of Bangladesh’ detailed. The fresh development came amid concerns over rising extremism in Bangladesh.

As the son of a retired High Court judge, Asif was reportedly able to obtain bail without much difficulty, while the case against him was later withdrawn. After his release from prison, he became involved in Islamic preaching, especially targeting young teenagers. He also used social media accounts and pages to spread his ideological views, gradually building a following among a large number of young people, the report mentioned.

“Following the political changeover in 2024, Asim became increasingly vocal and active. He joined hands with like-minded individuals and organised seminars and discussions in Dhaka and elsewhere in the country, through which he promoted his extremist views in subtle ways. The internet and social media platforms are now filled with his lectures. He also wrote several books to push forward his ideology,” it highlighted.

The report noted that Asif visited Amar Ekushey Hall at Dhaka University on Sunday to deliver a lecture titled “AI, Transhumanism and Islam: Exploring the Future of Humanity through Faith, Ethics, and Technology.”

The Shibir-backed Ekushey Hall Union organised the discussion and invited Asif without reportedly informing the hall authorities. While the organisers secured permission for the event, they did not disclose that Asif would be among the speakers.

The incident triggered widespread controversy given Asif’s past arrest over his involvement with a terrorist group and accusations that he promoted Al-Qaeda’s ideology in Bangladesh, the report noted.

Asif’s visit to Dhaka University and his lecture at Amar Ekushey Hall took place just days after the UN Security Council warned that al-Qaeda has been attempting to use Bangladesh as a base to establish terrorist cells.

The event sparked debate among students, teachers and journalists over the decision to invite a controversial figure like Asif to deliver a lecture at a university hall.

“I saw discussions on Facebook that Asif would come to Amar Ekushey Hall on Sunday. I did not believe it. I was stunned when he actually came,” a Dhaka University teacher told ‘Times of Bangladesh’ on condition of anonymity.

IANS