Fears of ‘Pakistanization’ in Bangladesh: Jamaat Leader’s Call for Sharia Law Raises Concerns
Recent statements by Shafiqur Rahman, the leader of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami (BJI), advocating for the implementation of Sharia law in Bangladesh have sparked alarm among experts and scholars who fear that the country could be following a dangerous path similar to Pakistan. Rahman, who was arrested in December 2022 and released in March 2023, has reignited concerns over the potential erosion of secular values in Bangladesh—a nation that was founded on principles of pluralism and secularism by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, following its liberation from Pakistan in 1971.
Rahman’s remarks come at a time when Bangladesh is already witnessing escalating violence and unrest, particularly targeting religious minorities, including Hindus. The turmoil has surged in the wake of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s resignation on August 5. Although the newly appointed interim government led by Muhammad Yunus has vowed to control the situation, atrocities against minorities have continued, casting a shadow over Bangladesh’s future direction.
The fear among analysts is that Rahman’s push for Sharia will embolden extremist elements in Bangladesh who are gaining strength amid the current instability. Defence experts and scholars argue that the imposition of Sharia, particularly the strict interpretation supported by Jamaat-e-Islami, could lead to widespread anarchy, economic decline, and a shift towards an environment mirroring the instability of Pakistan and Afghanistan. According to Qamar Agha, a prominent defence analyst, foreign investors could pull out if such a law is enforced, while Bangladesh’s Sufi-oriented society would likely resist the rigid interpretation of Sharia being promoted by Jamaat.
The prospect of Sharia implementation also raises concerns about the status of Bangladesh’s Hindu minority, which constitutes around eight percent of the population. Analysts warn that they could be relegated to second-class citizenship, much like minorities in Pakistan. The repercussions of such a shift would be felt across the region, especially in India, which shares a long border with Bangladesh. Regional stability could be threatened as new extremist groups emerge, and India’s significant investments in Bangladesh might be jeopardized.
The situation is further complicated by the support the interim government reportedly enjoys from the United States, making international pressure critical in preventing any radical shift. Scholars like Mufti Shamoon Qasmi emphasize that the growing violence and targeting of minorities contradict the principles of Islam and Bangladesh’s founding values. He asserts that Bangladesh’s independence from Pakistan, achieved with substantial help from India, was meant to liberate the people from oppression, not lead them into another cycle of extremism and religious intolerance.
The response from within Bangladesh will be crucial. Former Jammu and Kashmir police chief Shesh Paul Vaid stresses that the people of Bangladesh must decide whether they want to embrace a future defined by extremism, similar to Afghanistan, or continue on their path toward development and secularism. He warns that the rights of 1.5 crore (15 million) minorities could be severely curtailed under Sharia, potentially leading to further divisions within the country.
Bangladesh’s founding identity as a secular state is now under threat from forces seeking to reshape it along more radical lines. As Muslim scholar Mufti Wajahat Qasmi points out, Bangladesh was not created on the basis of Islam but as a secular nation that accommodated people of various faiths. The current debate over Sharia law challenges the very principles that guided its formation, and the outcome of this struggle will have significant implications for the region’s stability and the future of secular governance in South Asia.
