Unique: Anti-Modi protests in Bangladesh sponsored by means of Pakistan, say officers

The protests which were happening in Bangladesh since High Minister Narendra Modi’s Dhaka consult with have an overly sturdy part of enhance from Pakistan, consistent with resources.

Extremely positioned resources have instructed India These days TV that the Bangladesh govt is taking a look into the function performed by means of the Pakistan Prime Fee in Dhaka in supporting and investment the agitation and embarrassing the Sheikh Hasina govt.

Modi visited Bangladesh from March 26 to 27 to wait the celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the rustic’s independence and the delivery centenary of ‘Bangabandhu’ Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Consistent with resources, parts from the Jamaat and the BNP had infiltrated the agitation and there’s a sturdy Pakistani perspective. Additionally, the Bangladeshi parliament had tweeted suggesting hyperlinks between Hefazat-e-Islam and the Pakistan Prime Fee.

The primary indication of Pakistan’s involvement within the agitation all the way through PM Modi’s consult with got here when the Islamist hardline staff Hefazat-e-Islam (HeI) referred to as for protests and Bangladesh parliament’s respectable Twitter wrote, “Pak HC #Dhaka’s #SecretFunding for @HIBofficial @Hefazot to protest towards India & its PM @narendramodi. We, #secular & #democratic other people of #Bangladesh condemn this try by means of Pak company #ISI.”

Even if the care for deleted the tweet, it had referred to as the act “shameful”. The tweet had stated, “#Disgrace on @GovtofPakistan, protector of #Terrorists world wide.”

Many imagine that the gang, Hefazat-e-Islam is a entrance for the banned Islamist party Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, which requires a Sharia prison machine within the nation.

Officers monitoring all the protection of PM Modi’s consult with stated that Pakistani parts had their digicam crews at the floor to livestream the protests on-line and that it was once a well-coordinated ‘Modi ke khilaf’ programme.

Violence came about within the jap border district of Brahmanbaria, the place supporters of fundamentalist staff Hefazat-e-Islam got here to blows with the police and border troops resulting in deaths. Violence was once additionally observed at a mosque within the Bangladeshi capital of Dhaka. Hathajari, Chittagong and Brahmanbaria had been the worst affected.

Barrister Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh, the son of freedom warring parties who had been assassinated along side Bangabandhu, additionally tweeted bringing up a information record, “Contemporary Violence by means of the Islamist Radicals in Bangladesh had backing from outlawed terrorist staff #JamaateIslami which prior to now had sturdy hyperlinks with #Pakistan’s Inter-Products and services Intelligence #ISI”

Many began the usage of the hashtag #BangladeshAgainstTerrorism after the violence.

Hefazat-e-Islam is indirectly concerned with any political party however is an Islamist, fundamentalist staff in accordance with Qawmi madrassas, the non secular colleges.

Curiously, Mawlana Ahmed Shafi, the easiest chief of HeI, who died in September 2020, had excellent members of the family with High Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Senior journalist Masud Karim explains, “After the dying of Mr. Shafi, the Hefazat got here below the keep an eye on of BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami. The present management, Junaid Babunagari, Mamunul Haq also are individuals of Islami alliance headed by means of BNP-Jamaat.”

Officers each in Delhi and Dhaka imagine that with Junaid Babunagari’s elevation and his political aspirations, the hyperlinks between the Hefazat-e-Islam and Khaleda Zia’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) may deepen and turn out to be extra visual in instances to come back.

Karim provides, “The present management of Hefazat are anti-India, in particular towards Indian PM Modi as a result of his party’s coverage towards Muslims. However initially, Hefazat had no programmes towards the Modi consult with. After his arrival in Dhaka, some other people began violent protest in entrance of Baitul Mukarram Mosque, the nationwide mosque in Bangladesh after Jumma prayer. The inside track unfold countrywide and the Hefazat joined later.”

Jamaat-e-Islami is a pro-Pakistani political party. Jamaat has at all times been towards Bangladesh independence in 1971. These days, even supposing banned from contesting elections, Jamaat is likely one of the primary allies of the primary opposition party, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).

Consistent with resources, present leaders of Hefazat are connected with no longer best the BNP-Jamaat alliance, but additionally have connections in Pakistan.

Whilst HeI labored below the patronage of High Minister Sheikh Hasina, it took a thorough flip after Junaid Babu Nagari took over the Islamist, fundamentalist staff in November remaining yr after a sour fight over who will lead the gang.

Junaid Babunagari was once born in 1953 in Babunagar village of Fatikchhari Upazila, Chittagong. On the age of 20, he was once admitted to Jamia Uloom-ul-Islamia of Pakistan. Junaid Babunagari studied there for 4 years. He was once taught by means of the sector’s well-known non secular leaders of Darul ‘Uloom Karachi.

The involvement of Pakistan-backed parts is rising with the Bangladesh govt submitting a number of instances towards the activists of BNP and Jamaat for his or her involvement within the violence. BNP, alternatively, has denied the fees.

Whilst, the gang has transparent anti-India motives, the speculation could also be to radicalise the country and embarrass the present dispensation of Sheikh Hasina.

Senior journalist and Editor of DBC Information in Dhaka, Pranab Saha, stated, “After 2013, ruling party Awami League determined to interact Hefazat chief Allama Shafi and Sheikh Hasina succeeded in putting a excellent operating courting with the past due non secular chief. In addition they established the Quami Madrasha Board. On the other hand, after the dying of Allama Shafi the brand new leaders don’t seem to be in any respect below the keep an eye on of the federal government.”

The brand new type of HeI intends not to best embarrass the Sheikh Hasina govt but additionally debunk any historic narrative that honours Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

In February one of the most Hefazat leaders, Mamunul Haque, introduced that they’re going to no longer permit set up of a giant statue of Bangabondhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. It has nonetheless no longer came about.

A sculpture of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was once additionally defaced by means of some miscreants at Kushtia District.

“Now it’s an ideal problem for the ruling party to end up that they don’t seem to be vulnerable. When the rustic is celebrating Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s delivery centenary, at the moment Mujib’s work of art had been defaced. It was once to embarrass the Sheikh Hasina govt. A message was once additionally despatched to India who was once chargeable for the advent of Bangladesh, with the bloodshed all the way through Narendra Modi’s consult with in Bangladesh.”

The aim of such assaults on statues and work of art by means of HeI could also be as a result of they are saying statues and idols are ‘un-Islamic and anti-Shariat’, however the Awamis argue those are ‘works of sculpture’, a lot of which exist even in entrance of mosques in other places in Islamic nations from Turkey to Pakistan.