04/06/2025
A controversial statement by Shafiqul Islam Masud, a Jamaat-e-Islami leader in Bangladesh, claiming that opposing Jamaat equates to opposing the Quran, framing dissent as a religious betrayal to rally support amidst the party's turbulent history.
Jamaat-e-Islami, banned in August 2024 by Sheikh Hasina’s regime but reinstated by June 2025 under the Yunus interim government, has a polarizing legacy in Bangladesh, including its student wing’s role in the 1971 war crimes, which fuels ongoing debates about its radical influence.
Research from MDPI (2025) shows that banning moderate Islamist parties like Jamaat-e-Islami often drives radicalization, as supporters shift toward more extremist groups like Hefazat-e-Islam, a trend that may explain the provocative rhetoric in Masud’s statement.