Government Denies Zakir Naik Entry into Bangladesh

The government has decided not to allow Indian-origin Islamic speaker Zakir Naik to enter Bangladesh for the time being. This decision was made during a law and order core committee meeting at the Ministry of Home Affairs on Tuesday.

According to Home Ministry sources, an organization had planned to bring Zakir Naik to Dhaka on November 28 and 29 for two days. He also intended to visit other locations outside Dhaka. Discussions regarding his visit to Dhaka had been ongoing for several days.

The meeting concluded that Naik’s visit would draw large crowds. Managing such crowds would require a significant deployment of law enforcement personnel, which is not feasible before the elections. Therefore, it was decided that he may visit Dhaka after the national elections, but not before.

In 2016, following the terrorist attack at the Holey Artisan Bakery in Dhaka, the Indian government accused Zakir Naik of inciting terrorism and delivering hate speeches. Subsequently, he left India and sought refuge in Malaysia, where the government granted him permanent residency in Putrajaya.

The meeting was chaired by Home Affairs Advisor Lieutenant General (Retd.) Md. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury. Other attendees included Public Works Advisor Adilur Rahman Khan, Chief Advisor’s International Affairs Special Envoy Lutfe Siddique, Chief Advisor’s Special Assistant Lieutenant General (Retd.) Abdul Hafiz, Inspector General of Police Baharul Alam, and senior officials from various agencies.

Khaborwala/TSN