Indian Islamic preacher Zakir Naik was connected to the 2016 Gulshan bakery attack in Dhaka, which killed 20 foreigners, after it was reported that at least one of the attackers of the Islamic State (IS) was inspired by his hate speeches about non-Muslims.
This connection led to the Awami League government banning Peace TV, run by his Islamic Research Foundation (IRF), and prompted investigations into his activities in India.
The Indian government’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) launched a probe into Naik and his IRF, accusing him of spreading hatred, financing terror activities, and financial irregularities.
Naik left India in 2016 while the investigation was underway and has not returned. India declared the IRF an “unlawful association” for five years in November 2016.
Meanwhile, Naik had already been banned from entering the United Kingdom and Canada for his controversial speeches, and Malaysia later banned his public lectures.
Now staying in Malaysia, Naik is set to visit Bangladesh to attend a programme in Dhaka on November 28-29. Spark Event Management is organising the programme.
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After taking office through a jihadist-army coup on August 5 last year, the Jamaat-controlled interim government has been leaning towards Pakistan and antagonising India as part of the ISIโs blueprint.
Apart from government officials and army officers, top leaders of Pakistan-based militant groups like Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT) and Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) ,and some musicians have visited Bangladesh and attended meetings and religious programmes with the support of the interim government.
After learning about Naikโs planned visit, Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal gave a message to Bangladesh at a press conference on October 30. He said that India expects nothing from Bangladesh except that he be handed over to India as soon as he sets foot in the country.
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โZakir Naik is a fugitive. He is wanted in India. So, we hope that wherever he goes, the country concerned will take appropriate action against him and consider our security concerns.โ
The Bangladesh Foreign Ministry has responded to the comment. โThe comments made by the Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson regarding the possible visit of a prominent Islamic scholar or religious figure to Bangladesh have come to our attention,โ Spokesperson SM Mahbubul Alam told BSS.
He also said: โWe also believe that no country should give shelter to an accused or fugitive from another country.โ
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