Militant leader Jasim Uddin Rahmani, the notorious chief of the globally banned Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT)—a Bangladeshi affiliate of Al-Qaeda—was spotted at a protest in Dhaka’s Shahbagh demanding a ban on the Awami League, raising alarms over Bangladesh’s deepening slide into extremism and sparking serious concerns in India and beyond.
The protest, part of a larger movement backed by newly emergent political forces calling for the dissolution of the Awami League, took a dark turn when Rahmani—a convicted terrorist implicated in several high-profile killings of secular activists and bloggers—was seen among demonstrators on Friday afternoon. His public reappearance has sent shockwaves through civil society and reignited fears about Islamist resurgence in the country.
Rahmani, who was convicted for inciting the brutal murder of blogger Rajib Haider in 2013 and linked to a string of other assassinations—including Washiqur Rahman Babu, Ananta Bijoy Das, and Niloy Neel—was quietly released from Kashimpur High-Security Jail on 27 August 2024, after completing a partial sentence and securing bail in five other terror-related cases. His release, which came under the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government, drew intense criticism both domestically and internationally.
“All law enforcement agencies in Bangladesh were aware of Rahmani’s presence at the protest venue. We are hunting for him as several ABT operatives were caught from different parts of West Bengal, Assam, and South India in the recent past. Our intelligence agencies are on high alert to handcuff Rahmani as soon as he crosses over the border and steps into Indian territory,” said an official of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
Militants on the streets, Government silent
Social media erupted in outrage following Rahmani’s appearance at the Shahbagh protest. Many users accused the government of either ignoring the extremist threat or deliberately empowering radical actors to dismantle the old political order.
One Facebook user wrote, “Militants once again roam the streets of Dhaka—this time not hiding in the shadows but openly leading political demands.” Another noted that Hizb ut-Tahrir, another banned Islamist group, is now holding rallies unchallenged, suggesting Bangladesh is slipping into the grip of radical ideologies.
Also read: Bangladesh bans Awami League under anti-terrorism law
Hizb ut-Tahrir has plastered posters across walls in Dhaka, urging that India be declared an enemy state and calling for the establishment of a caliphate in Bangladesh—yet no authority within the Bangladeshi administration has so far dared to remove them.
Despite public uproar, no official from the Yunus government has commented on Rahmani’s presence.
This alarming trend appears to confirm growing fears that Islamic extremists are being given tacit space under the guise of democratic protests. The Yunus administration’s silence, even as globally designated terrorist leaders walk free and participate in political discourse, has raised troubling questions about state complicity or strategic tolerance.
Rahmani’s radical past
Rahmani is far from an ordinary cleric. Born in Barguna, he rose through the ranks of hardline Deobandi institutions in India and Saudi Arabia, later founding the Markazul Uloom Al Islamia Madrasa in Mohammadpur, Dhaka. This madrasa was a known hub for jihadist recruitment and training, and his sermons routinely glorified violent extremism.
In August 2013, he was arrested alongside 30 other militants during a secret gathering, and police later recovered a cache of jihadist propaganda from his home. Despite being sentenced to five years for inciting the murder of Rajib Haider, his early release and subsequent reappearance in public life underscore how gaps in legal enforcement are now being exploited by extremist networks.
Even more troubling is the revelation from a leaked 2024 YouTube video, where Rahmani was seen in an online meeting with fugitive YouTubers and ex-military figures—many of whom have previously been implicated in attempts to destabilise secular governance in Bangladesh. Among them were Pinaki Bhattacharya, Ilias Hossain, and Hasinur Rahman, a dismissed army officer once known for his role in extrajudicial killings, said an officer of Bangladesh’s intelligence wing.
Regional implications
For neighbouring India, these developments represent more than a domestic crisis in Dhaka—they suggest a geostrategic threat brewing at its eastern frontier. India’s security establishment has long viewed the Awami League, led by Sheikh Hasina, as a bulwark against extremism in the region. Her government has cooperated with New Delhi on counter-terrorism, cross-border insurgency control, and deradicalisation efforts.
Banning Awami League activities and the resurgence of Islamist groups under the interim government raise red flags for Indian policymakers.
“If Bangladesh descends into ideological radicalism or becomes a haven for pan-Islamic militancy, India’s security, particularly in West Bengal, Assam, and the Northeast, could be directly jeopardised,” said another MEA official.
Moreover, the optics of internationally blacklisted militants walking free under the Yunus regime could embolden similar groups in Kashmir, Kerala, and beyond, prompting India to reconsider its current diplomatic approach with Dhaka.
“Bangladesh now stands at a perilous crossroads. The Yunus administration, already facing criticism for suppressing democratic institutions and banning the Awami League, must now address how convicted militants like Rahmani are returning to public life and becoming politically active,” said the MEA official.
While the government claims to be steering the country toward justice and reform, its failure to confront the extremist threat is emboldening dangerous ideological forces. For India and the international community, this moment may serve as a wake-up call—the battle for Bangladesh’s democratic future is no longer just political—it is existential.
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