On August 5, 2024, a student-led revolution ended Sheikh Hasina’s 15-year authoritarian rule in Bangladesh. Despite the regime’s “zero tolerance” policy toward extremism, designed to legitimize its rule by positioning itself as the sole force in countering militancy, the approach failed to eliminate the threat. Instead, it seems that a conservative young generation emerged.
In the aftermath of Hasina’s fall, schoolchildren took to the streets advocating for a caliphate, and Hizb ut-Tahrir, a banned militant group, openly made the same demand. Simultaneously, the Islamic State’s Waliyat Al Hind released a statement titled “O Muslims of Bangladesh: Halfway Done, Now Strive for the Rule of Allah!” The group urged continued efforts to implement Islamic rule in Bangladesh, signaling the persistence of extremist narratives.
The challenge of militant Islam remains in Bangladesh, with many being radicalized online.
“Cyber radicalization” has been a major concern in Bangladesh’s efforts to counter violent extremism. A study of 250 detained militants found that 82 percent of young Bangladeshi militants were radicalized through various social networking sites. Radical content is easily accessible online and online radicalization is an ongoing process, particularly among urban and educated youth.
Extremist groups in Bangladesh have utilized various online tools and platforms to promote their ideologies, recruit new members, and coordinate their activities. Among the most commonly used platforms are social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. These platforms have been utilized by extremist groups to share propaganda, spread hate speech, and recruit new members.
For example, Nabila, a female member of Ansar Al Islam, used a fake Facebook ID in 2020 to connect with the group through its Facebook page “Titumir Media.” She gradually became exposed to extremist content and eventually ran 15 channels on her Telegram accounts, amassing over 25,000 followers. Her channel disseminated extremist content, bomb-making manuals, and strategies for attacks.
In addition to social media platforms, Bangladeshi militants also use various other platforms, including Telegram, Hoop, Element, the Internet Archive, Bcove.Video, Yandex.Com, WeTransfer, and Mediafire to propagate their ideologies and coordinate their activities. Messaging apps such as WhatsApp, Messenger, Throma, and Telegram have gained popularity among extremist groups in Bangladesh. These apps provide encrypted communication channels, making them ideal for coordinating activities, sharing information, and recruiting new members. In some cases, extremist groups have established dedicated groups on these apps to propagate propaganda and attract followers.
To coordinate their activities, extremist groups also make use of online forums and discussion boards to propagate their ideologies and tactics. These forums offer a platform for members to exchange extremist ideas and discuss various aspects of their activities. A considerable number of online discussion groups focus on “defending Islam against Western aggression.” These include Facebook pages with names like Struggle for Islam in Bangladesh, Daily Jihadi News Paper, and The Khilafat is Coming, as well as Twitter accounts operated by BD Jihadi Group, Islamic State Bangla, and al-Qaida.
Additionally, websites like Jundullahsite, Bangladesh Jihadi Group, and Morocco to Indonesia are utilized by extremist groups to propagate their ideology. YouTube channels such as Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh, Jumuarkhutbabd, and Ummah Network have also been infamous for promoting violent jihadi ideology among Bangladeshi youth. Gaming platforms are also used by extremist groups as a means of spreading their messages and recruiting new members. Online multiplayer games with chat functions provide a platform for these groups to connect with potential recruits.
Virtual private networks (VPNs) have also been adopted by extremist groups in Bangladesh to evade surveillance and conduct their activities with greater anonymity. For example, Mohammad Bin Kasim is known to post content that promotes radical ideology, urging followers to take up arms and prepare for jihad. The user also provides tips on how to evade law enforcement agencies, such as opening fake accounts and utilizing VPNs and tor browsers to disseminate jihadi content to their 5,000 friends. Additionally, extremist groups have their own IPs, with the IP used by Gazwatul Hind being one of the largest repositories of religious, radical, and jihadi content.
Extremist groups in Bangladesh are increasingly using online platforms to create and distribute propaganda videos. They carefully package their content to evade detection by government and social media platforms. This includes spreading sermons on YouTube, translating lectures by Anwar al-Awlaki into Bangla on Telegram, and recommending such posts on Facebook. While social media companies routinely take down sites sponsored by notorious groups such as the Islamic State, extremist propaganda in local dialects is available on specialized websites, discussion forums, social media channels, and even fact-checking sites where the curators add their own radical twist.
Surprisingly, online fundraising platforms are also used by extremist groups to generate funds for their activities. These platforms allow for anonymous donations and can be used to solicit funds from sympathizers and supporters around the world. For example, two members of the banned militant group Ansar Al Islam – Awal Newaz alias Sohel Newaz and Fazle Rabbi Chowdhury – have been found to have been using Bitcoin for years to fund their group. Electronic devices seized during their arrest contained evidence of cryptocurrency transactions, and investigators found that the group had received .002 percent of a Bitcoin, worth around 10,000 takas. Ansar Al Islam had opened three channels in the Telegram app to carry out militant activities and collect funds, and also used them to communicate with people.
It is high time Bangladesh countered online radicalization with robust and comprehensive measures. Strengthening cybersecurity infrastructure, collaborating with social media companies to remove extremist content, and promoting digital literacy are critical steps. Law enforcement agencies must be equipped with the tools to track and disrupt extremist networks, while financial regulations on cryptocurrencies need to be tightened to prevent anonymous funding of militant activities. Additionally, counternarratives promoting peace and tolerance must be developed, with religious leaders and community influencers actively engaged in combating radical ideologies. International cooperation in intelligence sharing and cyber defense is also essential. Only through a coordinated effort can Bangladesh effectively combat the rising threat of online radicalization and ensure long-term stability in the post-Hasina era.