Over 20 folks have been killed within the blast in Bangladesh’s Dhaka and one of many bombers had reportedly claimed to have been impressed by Islamic preacher Zakir Naik’s speeches.
9 years after being banned by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh’s interim authorities led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus is all set to roll a red-carpet welcome for controversial Islamic preacher and wished Indian fugitive Zakir Naik subsequent month.
Naik, identified for his hardline speeches and controversial remarks, will go to Bangladesh for the primary time from November 28 to December 20, 2025, the place he’ll ship a sequence of sermons throughout the nation. His month-long go to has been accredited by the interim Yunus authorities.
Why was Naik banned?
The earlier Sheikh Hasina authorities had banned Zakir Naik following the July 2016 Dhaka Holey Artisan Bakery terror assault. Naik was accused of selling communal disharmony by way of his Peace TV channel and social media platforms, which collectively have over 20 million followers.
Over 20 folks have been killed within the blast in Dhaka, and one of many bombers had reportedly claimed to have been impressed by Naik’s speeches. Among the youths who joined the Islamic State had allegedly mentioned that they have been interested in the Center East’s deadliest terror group after assembly the controversial preacher.
Nevertheless, Naik has repeatedly denied any involvement within the assault or in selling terrorism, sustaining that his teachings advocate peace and interfaith understanding.
Naik’s tour to Pakistan
The Bangladesh authorities’s resolution to host Naik comes lower than a 12 months after Pakistan prolonged an analogous reception to the controversial preacher. Final 12 months, the Pakistan authorities gave Naik a purple carpet welcome upon his arrival in Islamabad.
Throughout that journey, he was reportedly seen assembly members of the banned terror organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), together with commander Muzammil Iqbal Hashmi, Muhammad Harris Dhar, and Faisal Nadeem, all of whom have been designated as worldwide terrorists by the USA in 2008.
Zakir Naik can be wished in India
Inside hours of the Dhaka assault, Zakir Naik fled India after one of many attackers reportedly advised Bangladeshi investigators that he had been influenced by Naik’s sermons on YouTube.
Since then, Naik has remained a fugitive, going through a number of prices in India, together with hate speech and inciting communal disharmony. The Nationwide Investigation Company (NIA) filed a case towards him below the Illegal Actions (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and related sections of the Indian Penal Code (now Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita).
He’s acknowledged to be residing in Malaysia in the intervening time. India has repeatedly sought his extradition from Malaysia, the place Naik has lived since 2016, however Kuala Lumpur has not complied.
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