Dhaka: Bangladesh’s ruling party, the Awami League, has sounded the alarm over what it claims is an open agenda by radical Islamist factions to reshape the country in the image of Taliban-ruled Afghanistan.
In a statement released on Thursday, the party accused the Jamaat–Char Monai alliance of plotting to dismantle democratic norms, curb women’s rights, enforce a strict religious code, and impose nationwide jihadi training if brought to power.
The party referred to a recent interview given by Islami Andolan Bangladesh leader Muhammad Faizul Karim to US-based Bangladeshi journalist Khaled Muhiuddin, describing it as “chilling.”
In the interview, Karim reportedly vowed to introduce Sharia law and restructure Bangladesh’s governance to follow the models of both Afghanistan and Iran. He declared that if his party wins the national elections, it would pursue this radical transformation.
Karim’s remarks included controversial assurances that even Hindus would be given “rights” under the envisioned Sharia framework, a statement that has drawn sharp criticism from secular and minority rights groups.
The Awami League questioned the silence of the interim government, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, suggesting it could be either a sign of indifference or active complicity.
The party raised concerns about the apparent erosion of secular values, increased violence, and targeted attacks against minorities and women.
Citing recent incidents, the party alleged that temples had been attacked, worship disrupted, and women threatened in various parts of the country, claiming these were signs of a larger ideological shift under the Yunus-led interim regime.
Since Sheikh Hasina’s ousting in August last year, the Awami League argues that extremism has grown unchecked.
According to party leaders and some political analysts, the same radical elements now gaining ground had earlier joined forces with student movements and other factions to topple the Hasina government.
In a recent press briefing, the Awami League presented disturbing statistics, painting a grim picture of law and order in the country.
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The party reported 63 rapes in June alone — including 17 gang rapes — with victims ranging from young children to disabled women and teenage girls.
There were also 39 instances of sexual harassment and 51 physical assaults on women, all under the current interim regime.
Describing Bangladesh as a “blood-stained nation,” the Awami League accused the interim government of presiding over a “collapse of safety, justice, and leadership” and warned that the country’s secular and democratic fabric was at risk if these developments continue unchecked.
