The battle for Bangladesh’s soul appears to have entered its darkest chapter. What began as a valiant struggle for liberation from the genocidal Pakistani military regime in 1971—led by a secular, inclusive, and democratic force—has now been inverted into an unsettling narrative of betrayal, ideological colonization, and the state-sponsored rise of radical Islamist networks. The recent ban on one of Bangladesh’s oldest and most secular socio-political platforms, which stood as the last bastion against Islamist extremism, marks not only a sinister blow to Bangladesh’s democratic fabric but also signals the rise of a Frankenstein creation—one that poses a significant threat not only to Bangladesh itself but to regional stability, particularly to its closest ally, India.
The Rise of the Shadow State: A Conspiracy Decades in the Making
Behind this calculated subversion lies a tangled web of collusion between Pakistan’s deep state, international Islamist movements, and a compromised ruling clique in Dhaka. Groups like Jamaat-e-Islami, Hefazat-e-Islam, and the globally connected Hizb ut-Tahrir, once seen as fringe, have now crept into the political bloodstream of Bangladesh. These forces have donned the deceptive cloak of ‘Islamic revivalism’ while operating with the precision of cloak-and-dagger operatives working to dismantle secularism from within.
It is no coincidence that these forces have found fertile ground in the disillusionment bred by economic despair and political repression. Ironically, their rise has been aided and abetted by none other than institutions once celebrated in the West as models of development. The so-called “Nobel Laureate’s Bank”—originally hailed as a champion of microfinance and poverty alleviation—stands accused by many of creating a nation addicted to predatory loans, trapping millions in cycles of debt. While financial capital flowed into the hands of the privileged, ideological capital was invested by Pakistan and Middle Eastern patrons to strengthen radical networks.
Betrayal of the Liberation War Spirit
The recent state-backed crackdown on the secular vanguard that once toppled the Pakistani junta is nothing short of a betrayal of Bangladesh’s foundational promise. The organization in question, known for defending freedom of expression, promoting pluralism, and resisting communal violence, has been branded a threat to national security. Its ban signals that the guardians of the liberation spirit have become the enemies of the state.
How ironic that the very forces that stood shoulder-to-shoulder with India in 1971 to birth a new secular republic have been declared unwanted in today’s Bangladesh. This, while pro-Pakistani Islamist elements, who actively collaborated with the Pakistani Army during the genocide of 1971, roam freely, their political influence growing unchecked. Is this the reward for sacrificing millions of lives to rid Bengal of Pakistani tyranny? Or is this the beginning of a new ideological colonisation, this time led by transnational Islamists seeking to turn Bangladesh into a neo-Taliban frontier?
India’s Strategic Nightmare
India, which paid a steep price in blood, resources, and geopolitical standing to help Bangladesh emerge as a free nation, now finds itself staring at a security nightmare along its eastern borders. The threat of an Islamist corridor extending from Bangladesh through India’s vulnerable northeast is no longer a theoretical construct but an emerging reality.
The political elevation of Islamist factions in Dhaka, backed by Pakistan’s ISI and other transnational jihadist outfits, threatens to transform Bangladesh into a springboard for cross-border terrorism. From Assam to West Bengal, and even to Tripura and Meghalaya, India faces the risk of radical infiltration aimed at destabilising its border regions.
The global community’s silence, including the major powers and the UN Security Council, on this ideological subversion is as damning as the act itself. India, long accused of being the “Big Brother” in the region, now finds itself diplomatically cornered. It cannot intervene without being accused of violating sovereignty, yet it cannot ignore the mounting threat on its doorstep. Little do people know about the Indian Military might – it will teach a bitter lesson to whoever dares to cross the line of posing a threat to India’s territorial integrity. India’s military doctrine, hardened through multiple wars and counter-insurgency operations, is designed not just for defence but for decisive retaliation. Any miscalculation by Dhaka’s ruling clique or its radical proxies could unleash consequences beyond their control.
Pakistan’s Long Game: Revenge Served Cold
Make no mistake, Pakistan’s establishment has never forgiven Bangladesh for breaking away in 1971. The loss of “East Pakistan,” once dubbed the breadbasket of the nation, was not just a territorial or economic setback—it was an ideological defeat. Since then, Pakistan’s military-intelligence complex has patiently played the long game, investing in ideological subversion, radicalisation, and political manipulation to reclaim influence in Dhaka.
By elevating radical Islamist forces and neutralising secular opposition, Pakistan hopes to turn Bangladesh into a client state once again—one that will serve its geopolitical interests by destabilising India, providing safe havens for international jihadists, and acting as a proxy in regional power plays involving China, Turkey, and other anti-India blocs.
Bangladesh’s Internal Contradictions
The tragedy is that Bangladesh’s ruling regime has become complicit in this ideological hijacking. In its desperation to hold onto power, it has traded secularism for short-term political gains, striking unholy alliances with forces it once denounced. The co-option of Islamist factions into the political mainstream has blurred the line between state and radicalism, making Bangladesh’s internal contradictions a ticking time bomb.
The regime’s reliance on economic manipulation—via institutions accused of predatory lending and debt bondage—has further alienated the masses, creating a fertile breeding ground for radicalization. Young people, disillusioned by joblessness, inequality, and political repression, are increasingly turning to Islamist narratives that promise justice, dignity, and empowerment, albeit through violent and regressive means.
The Way Forward: Regional and International Imperatives
India’s Role: India must recalibrate its Bangladesh policy, moving beyond mere diplomatic niceties to assertively engage with pro-secular forces, civil society, and democratic allies within Bangladesh. Strategic patience must be balanced with proactive counter-radicalisation measures along the border.
Global Responsibility: The international community, particularly the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union, and the United Nations, must recognise that Bangladesh’s slide into radicalism is not just a domestic affair but a regional and global security concern. Targeted sanctions on individuals and organisations promoting Islamist extremism must be considered.
Supporting Secular Forces: Civil society organisations, media outlets, and grassroots movements advocating for secularism, democracy, and human rights need urgent international support—financial, political, and moral. Their survival is critical to reversing the tide of radicalisation.
Countering Economic Manipulation: The role of microfinance and predatory lending in socio-economic destabilisation must be scrutinised. Genuine economic empowerment, not debt slavery, is the antidote to radical recruitment.
Reviving the Spirit of 1971: Bangladesh’s youth must be re-educated about the true spirit of the liberation war—a struggle not for an Islamic theocracy, but for a secular, inclusive, and democratic nation. National narratives must be reclaimed from Islamist distortion.
Conclusion: The Clock is Ticking
Bangladesh stands at a perilous crossroads. The road ahead is fraught with danger, not just for its own people but for the entire South Asian region. The betrayal of its secular foundations, the state-sponsored rise of Islamist extremism, and the looming threat to India’s security paint a grim picture of what lies ahead if corrective action is not taken urgently.
History will not forgive those who stood by in silence as Bangladesh’s hard-won freedom was hijacked by forces of darkness. Nor will the people of Bangladesh, who once rose against tyranny in 1971, accept the yoke of a neo-Taliban regime in the name of religion.
The clock is ticking, and the world must choose: Will it stand with the secular spirit of Bangladesh’s liberation, or will it watch as another nation succumbs to the cancer of radicalism? The choice could not be clearer, nor the stakes higher.
