Dhaka– The ruling Awami League has sounded the alarm over a growing extremist threat in Bangladesh, claiming that the radical Jamaat–Char Monai alliance has openly pledged to reshape the country in the image of Taliban-ruled Afghanistan.
According to the party, the alliance’s leader, Muhammad Faizul Karim of the Islami Andolan Bangladesh, revealed this hardline vision during a recent interview with U.S.-based Bangladeshi journalist Khaled Muhiuddin. In what the Awami League called a “chilling interview,” Karim advocated for banning women from public life, enforcing compulsory burqas, restricting minority rights, and instituting nationwide jihadi training.
Karim reportedly stated that if his group wins national elections, it will introduce Sharia law and implement a governance system similar to Afghanistan’s current regime, along with what he called the “good philosophy of Iran.”
“If we come to power, Hindus will also receive rights under the Sharia law we establish,” Karim claimed, sparking outrage and concern from secular and minority communities.
The Awami League sharply criticized the interim government, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, for its silence on the radical agenda. “Is this inaction due to negligence—or deliberate complicity?” the party asked in a strongly worded statement.
The party also questioned whether recent attacks on Hindu temples, disruptions of religious services, violence against women, and the growing erosion of secularism are the true goals of the so-called “July Movement,” which has gained momentum since the ousting of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August of last year.
Since then, extremist activity has surged across the country. The Awami League alleges that several radical groups—many previously allied with student activists and Yunus—have escalated violence and targeted Bangladesh’s minorities in a coordinated effort to destabilize the nation.
On Tuesday, the Awami League presented statistics outlining what it called a “state of brutal anarchy” under the interim regime. The data painted a grim picture of rising crime and human rights violations.
According to the party, in June alone there were 63 reported rapes, including 17 gang rapes. Among the survivors were seven women and girls with disabilities, 19 children, and 23 teenage girls. Additionally, 39 cases of sexual harassment and 51 physical assaults on women were recorded.
“The country has become a blood-stained nation,” the Awami League declared, accusing the Yunus-led administration of presiding over a complete breakdown of law, safety, and justice. (Source: IANS)
