BNP-Jamaat nexus plots to brand Bangladesh as ‘another Afghanistan’ – Weekly Blitz

While lobbyists appointed by BNP-Jamaat nexus and several influential individuals are making frantic bids in getting Bangladesh banned from the United Nations Peace Keeping Force (UNPKF), the same nexus has been sending dossiers to selected members of Pentagon, Central Intelligence Agency, Federal Bureau of Investigation and few advisors in the Biden administration with the nefarious goal of portraying Bangladesh as the “next jihadist breeding ground” and a “threat to the regional and international security”. Although pro-Islamist Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its ally Jamaat-e-Islami are mainly responsible for the rise of radical Islam and jihadism in Bangladesh, now this nexus is pretending to be against “religious extremism” and “violent Islam” and putting blame for the rise of anti-Semitism and jihadist madness as well as “anti-US and anti-India sentiment” in the country. This nexus and its collaborators also are making foul attempt of accusing Awami League as the “patron” of pro-Caliphate Hefazat-e-Islam (HeI) and other Islamist parties in the country.

According to a credible source, anti-Awami League propaganda by BNP-Jamaat nexus has been gradually intensifying in Washington amongst the key policymakers and key figures in the American intelligence community as well as the Senate, Congress and the White House. As a result, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken recently said, jihadist groups such as Islamic State (Daesh) may succeed in establishing footprint in Bangladesh. Blinken’s statement comes within weeks of the Biden administration imposing sanctions on Bangladesh’s anti-terrorism elite force Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and the Inspector General of Police. For years, Rapid Action Battalion has been playing crucial role in combating religious extremism and radical Islamic terrorism. According to counterterrorism experts, imposing sanctions on Rapid Action Battalion goes against Washington’s commitment to combat religious extremism and Islamist terror.

It said, BNP-Jamaat nexus also is trying to use several leading newspapers and TV channels in the United States as vessel of spreading anti-Awami League and anti-Bangladesh propaganda.