The Talibanization of Bangladesh: A Nation Under Siege.

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The Talibanization of Bangladesh: A Nation Under Siege.

Since April 2024, Bangladesh has experienced a rapid and disturbing transformation. What began as a wave of student-led protests against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has spiraled into a state of religious extremism, censorship, and violence. With Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus now leading the caretaker government, supported by the Biden administration, Bangladesh is witnessing the erasure of secularism and the rise of Taliban-style rule.

From Student Uprising to Islamist Takeover

When Hasina fled Bangladesh amid political unrest, Islamists hijacked the momentum. Within days, Muhammad Yunus was installed as the new head of the interim government. But instead of ushering in reforms, the regime has empowered Islamic fundamentalists, particularly Jamaat-e-Islami, the country's largest Islamist party.

Religious Minorities Under Attack

Religious minorities—Hindus, Christians, and Buddhists—are now living in fear:

  • Mob violence, forced conversions, and temple vandalism are on the rise.

  • Hindu monk and activist Chinmoy Krishna Das was arrested on sedition charges for allegedly placing a saffron (Hindu) flag above the national flag. He now faces five additional arrest warrants.

  • In contrast, Islamist mobs regularly hoist Jamaat-e-Islami and Islamic flags above national symbols with no legal consequences.

💔 Violence and Mass Persecution

The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council (BHBCUC) reports:

  • From August 4 to 20, 2024:

    • 2,010 violent attacks

    • 915 homes looted or burned

    • 953 businesses destroyed

    • Four women assaulted, including a gang rape

  • From August 21 to December 31, 2024:

    • 174 separate attacks on minorities

Women’s Rights Under Threat

Women in Bangladesh are increasingly facing Taliban-style restrictions:

  • In Rangpur, Islamic groups forced the cancellation of a women’s football match, claiming it was “un-Islamic.”

  • Islamist leader Maulana Ashraf Ali said:

    “If women want to play football, they must cover their entire bodies and play only in front of women.”

  • Three women’s matches were shut down in two weeks due to threats.

  • Actresses like Pori Moni and Apu Biswas were banned from attending public events. Moni’s protest led to legal retaliation and an arrest warrant.

Censorship at the Book Fair

At the 2025 Amar Ekushey Book Fair in Dhaka:

  • Islamic madrasa students attacked a publisher’s stall for displaying books by Taslima Nasreen, a Bangladeshi author living in exile.

  • Police and fair officials ordered the removal of her books—but attacks still followed.

  • Writer Shatabdi Vobo was also targeted and forced to apologize publicly.

Islamist Terrorists Released

In a shocking move:

  • The Yunus regime lifted the ban on Jamaat-e-Islami.

  • Convicted terrorists like Jasimuddin Rahmani of Ansarullah Bangla Team were released.

  • The terror group has ties to Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) and has threatened media houses over employing women.

State Complicity and Silence

As thousands of protesters vandalized homes of Hasina’s party members, security forces did nothing.

  • Meanwhile, artists, journalists, secular voices, and women are being silenced, arrested, or forced into hiding.

  • Yunus’ administration has downplayed the violence, blaming "personal disputes" or "accidents."

  • Groups like Rights and Risks Analysis Group (RRAG) have called on the United Nations to intervene.

⚠️ What Lies Ahead for Bangladesh?

The situation echoes the rise of Taliban rule in Afghanistan. Bangladesh, once a secular and pluralistic society, now teeters on the edge of Islamic authoritarianism. The consequences could be devastating—not only for women and minorities, but for regional and global stability.

đŸ“ĸ Final Thoughts

Bangladesh was once a majority-Hindu land, transformed over centuries by conquest and colonization. Now, under Yunus' leadership, it is rapidly descending into a new form of Taliban-inspired governance. The international community, human rights bodies, and civil society must speak out—before it’s too late.

Tags: #Bangladesh #Talibanization #HumanRights #IslamistExtremism #WomenInBangladesh #TaslimaNasreen #ReligiousFreedom #Jamaat #MuhammadYunus #SecularismUnderThreat


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