Bangladesh rolls out red carpet for Zakir Naik: How the wanted hate preacher's tour fits into ISI’s anti-India strategy

Zakir Nail - File Photo

The Muhammad Yunus-led interim government in Bangladesh has approved a three-week-long visit by controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik, who is wanted in India for hate speech and links to radical organisations. Naik will arrive in Dhaka on November 28 and remain in the country until December 20, during which he is scheduled to travel extensively and deliver sermons across Bangladesh.

According to officials quoted by IANS, the Yunus government’s decision to host Naik marks a sharp departure from the policy of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who had banned Peace TV -- Naik’s channel -- in 2016 after one of the Holey Artisan Bakery attackers confessed that his group was inspired by Naik’s fiery speeches. Analysts say this invitation reflects how quickly Bangladesh is tilting toward radical forces following Hasina’s ouster.

Naik, who has been accused of promoting radical Islam and publicly supporting extremist groups, has long been on the radar of Indian intelligence agencies. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has registered multiple cases against him for inciting communal hatred and spreading anti-India propaganda through his NGOs and television channels.

Officials told IANS that Naik’s activities have repeatedly targeted India. His name has appeared in several forced conversion cases in Kerala, many of which were linked to the now-banned Popular Front of India (PFI). “Naik is known for his anti-India stance and his role in funding and inspiring radical movements,” one official said.

The cleric’s visit comes at a time when Indian agencies have been warning of growing radicalisation inside Bangladesh. The Yunus government, which analysts describe as a puppet of the Jamaat-e-Islami, has released several convicted extremists and allowed Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) to expand its footprint in the country. According to intelligence sources, the ISI has been using Bangladesh-based groups such as Harakat-ul-Jihadi Islami (HuJI) and Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) to plan attacks against India.

Naik’s arrival, they warn, could energise these networks. His visit follows a similar tour of Pakistan last year, where he was received with full state honours and met with senior political figures and leaders of terror outfits. During that trip, Naik held meetings with Muzammil Iqbal Hashmi, Muhammad Harris Dhar, and Faisal Nadeem, all top Lashkar-e-Taiba commanders designated as terrorists by the United States since 2008.

Security sources told IANS that Naik’s Bangladesh itinerary mirrors the Pakistan visit. He is expected to meet commanders of HuJI and JMB, two groups now under ISI coordination for operations against India. “Naik’s presence will act as a morale booster for extremist outfits that have regained ground under Yunus,” one source said.

Naik fled India soon after the 2016 Dhaka terror attack, when one of the bombers admitted to being radicalised by his sermons on YouTube. Currently based in Malaysia, Naik has been denied visas by Britain and Canada over his extremist views.

Through his Peace TV network, which broadcasts in Urdu and Bangla, Naik continues to promote his hardline interpretations of Islam. He once declared, “If bin Laden is fighting the enemies of Islam, I am for him. If he is terrorising America, the biggest terrorist, I am with him. Every Muslim should be a terrorist.” He later claimed that his remarks had been misquoted.

Security analysts say his upcoming Bangladesh visit is not just a clerical tour but part of a coordinated ideological campaign that aligns with Pakistan’s interests in the region. For a government struggling to contain growing extremism, critics argue that the Yunus administration’s decision to welcome Naik signals not moderation, but a dangerous descent into radical appeasement.