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Secularism vs. Theocracies: Bangladesh - and the West -Under Threat - for The Gatestone Institute -

by Uzay Bulut


Bangladesh's first constitution, adopted in 1972, the year after the war for independence, created the legal foundation for secular governance. Secularism was declared one of the fundamental principles of the state, and the use of religion for political ends was prohibited.


"The rise of violent extremism and militancy not only in Bangladesh, but also in the South Asia region and the worldwide phenomenon of religious extremism is one of the greatest contemporary threats to global security that can lead to violence and terrorism, and which can permeate all sovereign borders." — European Bangladesh Forum, Voice of European Bangladeshis.


It is thus critical to neutralize such radical Islamist forces, as Israel is now doing to Hamas, for both ideological and security-related reasons.


The 1971 Bengali genocide is an urgent reminder of the depths to which political ideologies can lead, and why, if one wants to preserve freedom in the West, it is essential to confront them.


As Bangladesh, a nation that is majority Muslim, prepares for January elections, its secular government has come under increasing pressure from Islamists.


The opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI), and their allies are holding rallies regarding a single demand: the resignation of the secular government. They insist that the prime minister step aside for an "impartial caretaker administration" to oversee January's polls.


Bangladesh has witnessed in recent years the alarming rise of Jamaat-e-Islami, an Islamist political movement whose ideology mirrors that of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood.


Both Jamaat and the Muslim Brotherhood advocate for implementing strict Islamic law in their respective countries, Bangladesh and Egypt. They share a common goal of transforming their nations into Islamic states governed by Sharia law, which traditionally includes the severe persecution of religious minorities and women.


The roots of Jamaat-e-Islami can be traced back to Muslim theologian Abul Ala al-Maududi and his vision of an Islamic state governed by strict Sharia law. For Maududi, the universal character of jihad is unambiguous:


"It must be evident to you from this discussion that the objective of the Islamic 'Jihād' is to eliminate the rule of an un-Islamic system and establish in its stead an Islamic system of state rule. Islam does not intend to confine this revolution to a single state or a few countries; the aim of Islam is to bring about a universal revolution. Although in the initial stages it is incumbent upon members of the party of Islam to carry out a revolution in the State system of the countries to which they belong, but their ultimate objective is no other than to affect a world revolution."


According to the South Asia Democratic Forum,


"Many leaders of Jihadist organizations replicated this text, with variations, throughout history. Most notably, the Muslim Brotherhood network and its splinter factions – such as Al-Qaeda or ISIS – and, within Shia Islam, the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Iran faithfully transposed Maududi principles on Jihad. While the profound influence of his doctrines on Hassan Al-Banna, Syed Qutub and other fanatic Sunni leaders and organisations is well known, their effect on Shia Islam and the events that led to the Islamic Revolution and the constitution of an Islamic State in Iran are less well-known."


Islamist politics and violence in Bangladesh also have a long history that predates its 1971 independence from Pakistan. Jamaat-e-Islami is Bangladesh's largest Islamist movement. They have steadily grown in Bangladesh, while wielding significant political influence, so that now, the threat of jihad and Islamism is once again targeting the secular government of Bangladesh.


In June 2023, Jamaat held a rally in Bangladesh's capital, Dhaka. News footage show hundreds of thousands of supporters participating. This was the first rally held by the movement in over a decade.


For the full article, please click here or click on the link below for a copy of the pdf file:


Uzay Bulut, a Turkish journalist, a research fellow for the Philos Project, and a Distinguished Senior Fellow at Gatestone Institute.


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