Zakir Naik, the fugitive radical Islamist preacher, recently shared his intentions to visit Bangladesh and relaunch Peace TV Bangla. Notably, in 2016, the then-Sheikh Hasina government banned YouTube channels nationwide. Peace TV Bangla, the third Islamic satellite channel in Zakir Naik’s Peace TV network, was banned in Bangladesh following a terrorist attack in Dhaka.
One of the terrorists involved was a follower of the radical Islamist on Facebook. Despite the official ban in India and Bangladesh, the channel continued to broadcast via satellite, making it accessible to viewers with private dishes.
Banned YouTube Channel Peace TV Bangla
In a YouTube video posted about six days ago, Naik addressed the status of Peace TV Bangla, the third Islamic satellite channel launched by the Peace TV network in April 2011. Naik launched this channel due to its large following in Bangladesh.
Naik claimed that the channel was banned after controversy began when authorities discovered that one of the terrorists involved in the attack was a follower of the radical preacher on Facebook. Although the original newspaper article did not ‘claim‘ that Naik inspired the terrorist, he claimed that Indian media manipulated the story, creating a false impression that led to a media onslaught against him, which subsequently forced him to flee India and seek refuge in Malaysia.
In the video, Naik also claims that the Indian government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, allegedly ‘pressured the Bangladeshi government to ban Peace TV Bangla, leading to its suspension in Bangladesh. He also alleged that this decision was ‘heavily influenced‘ by the close relationship between the Indian and Bangladeshi governments at the time.
Notably, despite the ban in India and Bangladesh, Peace TV Bangla continues to broadcast via satellite. Viewers who use private satellite dishes can still access it. He noted that many people in India and Bangladesh can still watch Peace TV despite the official ban.
Naik then touched upon the recent political upheaval in Bangladesh and expressed ‘optimism‘ about the return of Peace TV Bangla on cable and satellite television in Bangladesh. He believes that if the new government in Bangladesh doesn’t align closely with India, he could restore Peace TV soon. He mentioned that applications for reinstating banned Islamic channels, including Peace TV Bangla, are underway.
Visit To Bangladesh
Addressing a viewer’s question about his visit to Bangladesh, Naik said he strongly desired to visit the country. He mentioned that his eagerness to see Bangladesh stems from the ‘immense support‘ he receives from the Bangladeshi people. According to him, out of his 23.9 million Facebook followers, over 6 million are from Bangladesh, making it the country with the most significant percentage of his followers.
He shared that his visa for Bangladesh had been stamped twice on his passport in the past, but he had to cancel both trips due to unforeseen circumstances. In the late 1990s, he was ready to accompany another Islamic preacher, Sheikh Ahmed Deedat, to a lecture in Bangladesh. However, the organisers cancelled the lecture at the last moment.
The second instance occurred in January 2013 when Naik was ready to travel to Bangladesh from Saudi Arabia. Back then, the political situation in Bangladesh was unstable. His hosts advised him to delay his visit due to concerns about large crowds gathering to see him.
Sheikh Hasina Government
Naik stated that the recent political changes in Bangladesh reignited his hope to visit the country. He acknowledged that the previous government, which he described as “unjust,” had been removed, and an interim government was now in place. While he did not specify an exact date, he suggested that his visit could occur within a few months or up to a year, depending on the circumstances and “God’s will“.
He concluded the video by asking viewers to pray for the ‘successful restoration‘ of Peace TV Bangla so that the ‘message of Islam can continue to spread‘ in Bangladesh. Depending on the developments in Bangladesh, he hoped the channel would be fully operational again within a few days.
These statements are particularly worrying given that several terrorists have been ‘influenced‘ by the radical Islamist preacher. We compiled a report of at least 18 such terrorists here.
With Sheikh Hasina out of the picture and the Islamists wreaking havoc in Bangladesh, it seems to be a bleak future for the Hindus in Bangladesh.
Subscribe to our Telegram, WhatsApp, and Instagram channels and instantly get the best stories of the day.