Bangladesh at the brink: How Islamist extremism threatens the nation’s Bengali soul

Bangladesh's secular Bengali identity is under threat as Islamist extremism and violence against minorities escalate, including attacks on cultural institutions and the lynching of a Hindu man falsely accused of blasphemy. Radical Islamist groups have targeted newspapers, cultural icons, and even attempted to storm the Indian High Commission and National Parliament, prompting the suspension of Indian visas for Bangladeshis. The rise in ideological terror and impunity for extremists raises fears that Bangladesh is moving toward a Caliphate, endangering its pluralistic foundations and regional stability.