Bangladesh has barred fugitive radical preacher Zakir Naik from entering the country, overturning an earlier decision that had cleared his month-long visit.
The interim administration led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus had initially approved Naik’s visit, scheduled to begin on 28 November. The decision marked a significant shift from the previous Sheikh Hasina government, which had banned Naik over alleged links to the 2016 Holey Artisan Bakery terror attack in Dhaka.
However, Dhaka reversed course on Sunday after India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) reiterated its long-standing demand for Naik’s extradition if he travelled to Bangladesh.
“We have taken note of the remarks made by the spokesperson of India’s Ministry of External Affairs regarding the possible visit of a prominent Islamic scholar or cleric to Bangladesh,” said Foreign Ministry spokesperson SM Mahbubul Alam, speaking to ANI.
According to Home Ministry officials in Dhaka, Naik had been invited by a local organisation to attend a two-day religious event on 28–29 November, with plans for him to visit other cities as well. But the proposed trip had drawn intense scrutiny and public debate over the past several days.
During a high-level meeting on Tuesday, officials assessed that Naik’s visit could trigger massive gatherings, requiring substantial police deployment. With security forces already stretched thin to maintain order during the pre-election period, authorities decided that allowing Naik’s entry at this time would be “infeasible.” His visit, they concluded, could only be reconsidered after the elections.
Zakir Naik, a Mumbai-born Islamic televangelist, has remained a divisive figure for nearly a decade. Following the 2016 terror attack in Dhaka, Indian investigators accused him of inspiring extremism through his speeches and television broadcasts. Naik fled India shortly after and has since lived in Malaysia, where he was granted permanent residency in Putrajaya.
In the aftermath of the Dhaka attack, the Sheikh Hasina government banned Naik’s Peace TV after one of the attackers admitted being influenced by his sermons.
Naik continues to face multiple charges in India filed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), including promoting communal enmity and delivering hate speeches.
Tuesday’s meeting in Dhaka was chaired by Home Affairs Adviser Lieutenant General (Retd.) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury. Other participants included Public Works Adviser Adilur Rahman Khan, Chief Adviser’s Special Envoy for International Affairs Lutfey Siddiqi, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser Lieutenant General (Retd.) Abdul Hafiz, Inspector General of Police Baharul Alam, and senior representatives from several government departments.
