"Islamism's Tightening Grip on Bangladesh" with Ahnaf Kalam | MEF Podcast Ep. #358

Bangladesh’s political landscape is unraveling after the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s regime in August 2024, with rising Islamism threatening the nation’s secular fabric. Interim leader Muhammad Yunus, once celebrated as a global icon for microfinance, has faced criticism for enabling extremist parties like Jamaat-e-Islami and Hefazat-e-Islam, whose growing influence—marked by attacks on Hindus, Ahmadis, and secular traditions—has shattered initial optimism about his leadership. Yunus’s decision to lift bans on these groups, alongside moves to erode secularism from the constitution, has fueled fears of Sharia-driven governance, while his foreign policy has tilted toward China and Pakistan. How did Bangladesh’s democratic hopes spiral into extremist resurgence? Can Yunus curb the Islamist tide? What are the implications for Western interests in South Asia?

Ahnaf Kalam is the digital media specialist and podcast producer at the Middle East Forum, where he has been a writer and researcher since 2017. He writes regularly on issues of national security, counter-Islamist extremism, and politics. His work has appeared in the American Spectator, The Gazette, Daily Wire, the Daily Caller, and other publications. He holds a B.A. in political science and international studies from the University of Colorado, Denver.