The Islamic State (IS) has announced the revival of its “Bengal Province,” a regional branch targeting India’s northeastern states and Bangladesh. This move signals the group’s intent to exploit the political instability and rising Islamist influence in post-Hasina Bangladesh, raising alarms across South Asia.
When did this new political scenario emerge? It surfaced at a time when Pakistan’s ISI operatives are actively working in Bangladesh, supporting Islamic jihadists and attempting to destabilize India’s northeastern region. Amplifying this agenda, a news report states that an announcement made through the obscure Al-Bengali Media outlet urges Muslims in the region to rise against perceived oppression, framing its mission as a struggle for Islamic governance. While online discussions about this new branch remain limited, security experts caution against underestimating the threat. IS has a history of exploiting local grievances, and its renewed focus on Bengal comes amid heightened volatility.
A Strategic Expansion
The Bengal Province is not a new concept. In 2016, IS first established the branch under Mohammad Saifullah Ozaki, a Bangladeshi economist turned operative, who orchestrated attacks like the Dhaka café siege. After Ozaki’s arrest in 2019, the branch faded, but its relaunch now signals a broader ambition.
The new province will reportedly cover West Bengal, Bangladesh, and India’s northeastern states—a region marked by ethnic and religious tensions. IS sees this as an opportunity to unite Muslims across these areas, leveraging illegal immigration and demographic shifts to recruit and radicalize.
Bangladesh: A Breeding Ground for Extremism
The timing of IS’s announcement coincides with Bangladesh’s political turmoil following the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in 2023. Her departure has created a power vacuum, allowing Islamist groups like Hizb ut-Tahrir and Jamaat-e-Islami, once suppressed, to re-emerge.
Black flags, reminiscent of IS symbolism, now appear at protests, while student demonstrations in Dhaka feature calls for an Islamic Caliphate governed by Sharia law. These developments have sparked fears of a radical turn in Bangladesh’s political and social fabric.
Targeting Minorities and Secular Voices
The post-Hasina era has seen a surge in violence against religious minorities and secular voices. Hindus, who make up about 10% of Bangladesh’s population, have faced temple vandalism, forced displacement, and attacks on their cultural symbols. Secular bloggers and activists, already targeted during Hasina’s tenure, now operate under even greater threat.
The interim government, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, has done little to curb this violence, raising concerns about its commitment to protecting minorities and upholding secular values.
A New Operational Model
The relaunched Bengal Province is expected to operate independently, much like IS’s Khorasan branch in Afghanistan. This decentralized model allows the group to carry out attacks without direct coordination with its central leadership, making it harder for security agencies to track and disrupt its activities.
Between 2016 and 2017, IS’s Bengal Province carried out 15 attacks in Bangladesh, primarily targeting secular bloggers, religious minorities, and foreign nationals. While the group’s activities waned in subsequent years, its resurgence could have far-reaching implications for regional security.
What’s Next for Bangladesh?
The future of Bangladesh is increasingly uncertain. The interim government’s inability—or unwillingness—to curb extremism has raised alarming questions. Reports suggest that factions within the administration may be tacitly supporting Islamist groups to consolidate power or counter secular opposition. This dangerous gamble risks legitimizing radical ideologies and deepening the country’s instability.
Religious minorities, particularly Hindus, continue to bear the brunt of this shift, while the economy teeters on the brink of collapse. The garment industry, a lifeline for millions, faces a 20% decline in exports, exacerbating social unrest.
If Pakistan’s state-sponsored radicalism takes hold in collaboration with a Dr. Yunus-led administration, Bangladesh risks becoming a regional hub for ISI-backed terrorism, with consequences extending far beyond its borders. As the nation stands at a crossroads, the world watches closely, with its secular heritage and democratic aspirations hanging in the balance.
