Jihad in Bangladesh: Islamists Erasing Hindu Heritage

[Almost Heaven]

The rise of Islamist extremism in South Asia is entering a new and troubling phase. What began as a political movement cloaked in piety has increasingly transformed into a campaign of cultural and religious erasure. In Bangladesh, the latest target of jihadist wrath is the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), a global Hindu organization. Islamists now brand it an "extremist Hindutva group", call for banning it, commit arson against its temples, and violence against its followers. Their real goal, however, is far darker than banning a Hindu organization: it is to purge majority-Muslim Bangladesh of its remaining Hindu population and to reshape the country into a theocratic state.

Since last year's jihadist-backed coup in Bangladesh, attacks on ISKCON centers and Hindu temples in the country have sharply escalated. Hardline groups such as Hefazat-e-Islam (HeI) and Intifada Bangladesh have taken the lead in this campaign, with vocal support from elements within the country's government. In a disturbing development, the government's response to a court petition demanding a ban on ISKCON described the movement as a "religious fundamentalist organization". This rhetoric, once confined to the fringe, now finds a place in official discourse - a dangerous sign of how far Islamist influence has penetrated the state.

Jihad in Bangladesh: Islamists Erasing Hindu Heritage

The rise of Islamist extremism in South Asia is entering a new and troubling phase. Their real goal, however, is far darker than banning a Hindu organization: it is to purge majority-Muslim Bangladesh of its remaining Hindu population and to reshape the

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[Tall Timbers]

Islamists are on the move all over the world, including in the USA.