The student wing of Bangladesh’s radical Islamist party Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) registered a landslide victory in the Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) elections, the results of which were announced on Wednesday.

As many as 471 candidates contested for 28 posts with the Islami Chhatra Shibir (ICS) panel of Abu Shadik Kayem, S M Farhad and Mohiuddin Khan elected as Vice President, General Secretary and Assistant General Secretary, respectively. Immediately after their triumph in the elections, the local media reported that Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan has also congratulated ICS on winning the DUCSU elections, asserting that “new history” has been made in Bangladesh.

Last year’s July-August protests that had shaped the student unity by using mobs in attacking shrines of Hindus, religious minorities, un-Islamic cultural institutions, destruction of artworks – something that is still continuing in Bangladesh – was noticeable in ICS achieving a successful outcome in the DUCSU election. Considering the reaction from Pakistan, analysts reckon that the results also imply that Bangladesh politics continues to slide massively towards radical Islam that is prone to violence.

JeI’s consolidation through manipulation or engineering has started with the ICS winning the DUCSU elections. It is also the first time in DUCSU’s history that JeI’s student wing openly contested with a full panel, thanks mainly to the polls being held under the interim administration of Muhammad Yunus and banning of the dominant Awami League’s Bangladesh Chhatra League.

The ICS resurfaced publicly in September last year, a month after the shocking exit of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina that also ended the 15 year-long domination of Bangladesh Chhatra League in Dhaka University. In the one year since its re-emergence, the radical student outfit managed to draw substantial support from madrasas (religious Islamic schools) students.

Meanwhile, Abidul and Umama have already rejected the DUCSU election results, stating that they were rigged and were a “farce”. They alleged that the Dhaka University administration has brought shame upon the nation as the entire administration is run by Shibir loyalists.

-IANS

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Elections in Bangladesh are slated to be held in February 2026. While the fairness of the elections with the Awami League being banned from contesting is in question, it would still be a much-needed exercise for the country. In the run-up to the elections, there is a major push being made by the Jamaat-e-Islami to enforce strict rules, while catering to a more Sharia-style of functioning.

There have been calls to implement Sharia law and turn Bangladesh into an Islamic State. While these calls are made by radical groups, such directives from the Jamaat are an extremely dangerous sign. It is the Jamaat which is calling the shots in the interim government. This indicates that orders are being passed officially.

The Jamaat has now urged government schools to put aside their plan of appointing dance teachers in primary schools. It has instead instructed schools to appoint religious teachers to ensure that children grow up to be honest and responsible citizens. Mia Golam Parwar, the general secretary of the Jamaat, issued the order.

“Appointing music and dance teachers instead of religious instructors is completely unacceptable. Music or dance cannot be considered a compulsory subject for students. If a family has a strong interest in such activities, they can arrange private teachers themselves. But religious education is essential for all communities,” he said in a statement.

The Jamaat and other radical groups have repeatedly cited a decline in social and moral values. Religious education fosters morality and values, and this forms the foundation of virtuous behaviour and building a just and disciplined child. He felt that at a time when the youth were facing a moral crisis, it was wrong to appoint dance and music teachers. There are similar rules in Taliban controlled Afghanistan as well.

There has been a lot of moral policing when it comes to women in Bangladesh. It would, however, be interesting to see how the situation would be dealt with, if at all, if a BNP government with Khaleda Zia as the Prime Minister comes to power. These issues were not allowed to be raised under the rule of Sheikh Hasina.

However, following his ouster, radical elements have upped the ante, and there is a clear demand for the implementation of Sharia law. Bangladesh watchers say that the way things are shaping up, it appears that there is a solid push to make Bangladesh into an Islamic State. The release of terrorists, criminals and also the lifting of the ban on the Jamaat following Hasina’s ouster only signal the direction in which the country is moving. These radical elements have targeted the minorities, especially the Hindus, following the August 2024 uprising by the students, most of whom are attached to the Jamaat’s Islamic Chhatra Shibir.

In the first week of Sheikh Hasina’s ouster, there have been 200 attacks on the minorities. This increased multi-fold over the next few weeks. The caretaker of the interim government, Muhammad Yunus, has promised that polls will be held in February 2026. India is watching the developments closely and would prefer that an elected government be in place. Ties under Yunus have soured, and India would want to have better relations with its neighbour.

The elections, too, would be an interesting affair. The Awami League has been banned from contesting. This would mean that the BNP has the edge. While all the poll pundits have said that the BNP would return to power, it is not clear if it would be a landslide victory. In the event of the BNP needing a coalition partner, it has no option but to ally with the Jamaat as it had done in the past. This would make the bilateral with India tricky as the Jamaat would have some cards.

The Jamaat is completely backed by the ISI and, since the 1970s, has worked together on a common agenda, and that is to make the country an Islamic State and destabilise India.

-IANS

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Leaked Telegram messages from private Jamaat-e-Islami and opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)  groups reveal a disturbing campaign to marginalise and expel Hindus from Bangladesh following the August 5 coup. These messages outline a strategy to remove Hindu officials, frame their persecution as a political conspiracy, and exacerbate violence against the community. The reports also highlight the troubling role of extremist groups in providing security to police officers.

Leaked Telegram Messages

In the aftermath of the recent coup in Bangladesh that led to the ousting of former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, a surge of violence has been unleashed against the country’s minority Hindu population. Both ordinary Hindus and those in positions of power have become targets of brutal attacks by Islamist factions, with reports suggesting a coordinated effort to marginalise and expel Hindus from Bangladesh.

Leaked messages from private Telegram groups, particularly those associated with the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami, have surfaced, revealing a disturbing agenda aimed at systematically weakening and eliminating the Hindu community from the country.

One of the messages, allegedly circulated within a pro-Jamaat group and forwarded from a private BNP channel, outlined a chilling strategy: “If we want to create a Bangladesh free from Hindus, we must first force all the major Hindu government officials to resign and ensure that Muslims are recruited instead. This will weaken the resolve of ordinary Hindus, and they will be forced to leave for India. We have started our work; if you know any such Hindu public servants, then please help us by providing information.”

The messages being circulated in pro-Jamaat groups. This is one forwarded from a private BNP group.

“If we want to create a Bangladesh free from Hindus, we must first force all the major Hindu Government officials to resign and ensure that Muslims are recruited instead.

This… pic.twitter.com/CjhWUo1JWk

— Nupur J Sharma (@UnSubtleDesi) August 20, 2024

This revelation highlights a coordinated attempt to purge Hindus from influential positions within the government, thereby destabilizing the community and compelling them to flee the country.

On 11 August 2024, a message shared in a private BNP Telegram group and later forwarded to a Jamaat-e-Islami public channel called for Hindus to be “taught a lesson so they never find the courage to protest again.” The message further suggested framing the persecution of Hindus as a political conspiracy orchestrated by the Awami League. The strategy also included plans to infiltrate Hindu protests with individuals carrying Awami League flags to discredit their cause and further exacerbate their plight.

IMPORTANT FROM BANGLADESH

A message was shared in a private telegram group of BNP. That message was forwarded to a public channel of Jamaatis. It says that “Hindus need to be taught a lesson so they never find the courage to protest again”, and that the plight of Hindus… pic.twitter.com/tuAytAoG3w

— Nupur J Sharma (@UnSubtleDesi) August 11, 2024

The messages also expose a celebratory tone among BNP members regarding the lynching of Hindus. One particular message, initially shared in a private BNP Telegram channel and then forwarded to a Jamaat-e-Islami public channel, demonstrated how certain factions within the BNP were openly rejoicing at the brutal violence against Hindus.

https://twitter.com/UnSubtleDesi/status/1822673050552467799

These leaked communications underscore the growing threat to the Hindu community in Bangladesh, as extremist groups exploit the political turmoil following the coup to intensify their campaign against religious minorities.

How Law Enforcement Agencies In Bangladesh Submitted Themselves To BNP & Jamaat

After attacking and killing police officers under the guise of ‘anti-government protests,‘ Islamists began assuming the role of ‘protectors’ for these same officers.

According to a report by ‘Jugantar,‘ members of BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami were seen providing security to police stationed at Begumganj Chowki in Noakhali, as confirmed by BNP leaders Mohammed Ahsanullah and Morshdul Amin Faisal.

Following Sheikh Hasina’s resignation on 5 August 2024, extremists launched an attack on the Begumganj police station. In response, Jamaat and BNP took it upon themselves to safeguard the officers there.

Religious minorities, terrorised by these Islamist groups, found themselves unable to seek police assistance, as the police were relying on these extremists for their own protection. Compounding the issue, 2,200 BNP and Jamaat members, previously arrested for causing chaos during ‘anti-quota protests,’ were released on bail.

The leaked messages have further fueled fears of an organized campaign to drive out Hindus, exacerbating an already dire situation for religious minorities in Bangladesh. It remains to be seen whether the interim government will take action to protect the Hindu minorities in Bangladesh- will Prof. Yunus address this on an urgent basis?

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It has come to light that a Jamaat organisation banished a resident Jamaal Mohammed from the village. Given this, Jamaal who was running an auto/cab business alleges that he lost his livelihood.

Subsequently, he reached the Thiruvarur District Collector’s office along with his 8-year-old son and attempted to immolate himself and the child.

Belonging to Thiruvidaivasal, a complaint was filed against Jamaal for parking his cars on the road by a fellow Muslim. Owing to this, the Jamaat took action to banish/outcast Jamaal. They issued notices stating that if anyone boarded Jamaal’s auto, they’d have to pay a fine of Rs 1000. These notices were distributed to the homes in the village.

The notice read, “PC Jamal from Palakudi is running an auto rental service against the Indian Penal Code and putting the public at risk. He allows his autos to be driven by people who do not have a proper auto-driving license. So many dangerous incidents have happened.
Even after reprimanding him many times, the management
does not know that he is making the same mistake again and again. Also on 25.06.2024, the management called him and reprimanded him. We have taken action against him, he has pressured more than ten people and insulted the officials in the administration.

1. P.C. Autos belonging to Jamal should not be used by any Jamaat public. In case they do, they will be charged Rs. 1000/- as a fine.
2. You should not directly or indirectly support the above-mentioned person PC Jamaal. If they fail, the administration will take strict action against them.”

The family insists that the car was parked on the road because they were unloading some luggage from it after returning from the hospital. The complainant questioned Jamaal, “Is this your father’s road? Why have you parked here?”. Saying so, the complainant broke the windows and damaged the car.

Ashabeevi, Jamaal’s wife, talking to reporters stated, “Outside 5 mosques, as if we are murderers, they have posted notices warning people from taking our auto. They have also instructed people to stop interacting with our family members. They have insulted us. We have not eaten anything for the past 3 days. We have to pay fees and vehicle dues, we have no money to even buy milk. Will the Athikadai Jamaat answer our situation? We condemn this. They call themselves an organization but all that they do is conduct kangaroo courts.”

She further alleged, “Every single time, they ask my husband to fall at everyone’s feet and ask for an apology. If you want leniency, ask for an apology by falling at our feet. Only then will we allow you to drive your auto.”

She added, “We cannot forgo our self-respect and ask for an apology in this manner. So we have come here to find a solution to this through the government.”

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Representatives from all Jamaats in the Coimbatore district on Wednesday strongly condemned the blast near Kottai Eswaran temple in Ukkadam, claiming that the “act of terror” was the result of a failure of state intelligence agencies. Coimbatore District United Jamaat leaders met with the city police commissioner and pledged their support in the fight against terrorism.

Addressing the Press after meeting with Coimbatore city commissioner, Abdur Jaffer, General secretary of Coimbatore District Jamaat Union said,” In the early hours of 23rd october, infront of Kottaimedu Eswaran Temple, a massive car blast happened. First, they(Police and DMK) said it is a car cylinder blast. However News started to unfold a little later. In continuation of that there is a panic in Coimbatore south area.”

He continued, “we met the commissioner regarding the blast. According to us, this is an “act of terror”. Only god has saved the people of Coimbatore. God has punished those involved in the “act of terror”. There are people still out in open who were involved in this incident. All those have to be found and brought to books.”

He also stated that the Union Jamaat will work with the police to root out terrorism and will make the necessary efforts to do so.

“We came to meet with the police commissioner to express our concern about the failure of state intelligence, and we doubt if it is functioning, and why haven’t they gathered information about the blast before it happened,” he added.

He ended the press meet saying that the Jamaat has requested commissioner to strengthen the state intelligence.

The video was shared on Twitter by Tamil Nadu BJP President Annamalai, who questioned TN CM MK Stalin, saying, “If Thiru Abdur Jaffer calls the blast “an act of terror,” what is stopping the CM from saying the same?” He also said that the DMK government’s inability to govern is out in open now and that minority appeasement politics will no longer work.

Thiru Abdul Jaffar doesn't believe in the cylinder blast story and calls it an “Act of Terror.” What's stopping @CMOTamilnadu from saying it?

DMK has to understand it’s minority appeasement politics doesn’t work any more!

This govt’s inability to govern is out in the open now! pic.twitter.com/C8W6HY1Veq

— K.Annamalai (@annamalai_k) October 27, 2022

It is to be noted that this statement from Jamaat Union, calling it an “act of terror”, is contrary to the statements from Police authorities and the DMK leaders who tried to downplay the entire incident as mere cylinder blast.

Mylai DMK MLA Velu downplayed the explosion in his tweet to Annamalai, saying,”Why these needless words. Those who incited the crime should be punished first, rather than the perpetrators. Entire Tamil Nadu knows who is the reason for this (alleged “cylinder blast”). Go to the butcher shop and put your head in there. Tamil Nadu will be peaceful.”

எதுக்கு இந்த தேவையில்லாத வார்த்தைகள்.குற்றம் செய்பவர்களைவிட குற்றம்செய்ய தூண்டியவர்களுக்கு தான் முதலில் தண்டனை வழங்க வேண்டும். அமைதியாக இருந்த தமிழகத்தை இப்படி யார் ஆக்கியது என்று இன்று தமிழ்நாடே பேசுகிறது.போய் கசாப்புகடையில தலைவச்சி படுங்க.தமிழகம் அமைதியா இருக்கும்.@arivalayam https://t.co/Be2pjmphWo

— Mylai Velu MLA (dha.velu) (@mylaivelu71) October 25, 2022

In another case, Isai, the State Deputy Secretary of DMK IT Wing, had shared a clip from Tamil movie Kadhalan in which the antagonist discusses with another man about creating a law and order situation through bomb blasts in order to topple the government.

இருக்குமோ?! pic.twitter.com/7ooqTiOxJA

— இசை (@isai_) October 26, 2022

This clip was shared by the DMK IT Wing leader suggesting that the Coimbatore blasts was a handiwork of the BJP. The tweet by Isai was retweeted by Mannargudi DMK MLA and the party’s IT Wing head TRB Rajaa.

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