With Bangladesh’s February 12 polls approaching, a leaked US diplomatic audio has ignited controversy, underscoring the precarious fate of minorities amid Islamist resurgence. EU Reporter’s analysis from Brussels pins blame on Muhammad Yunus’s interim government for fostering an environment ripe for extremism.
The administration’s mishandling—economic ruin, illicit business purges, minority attack oversights, societal polarization, and Islamist denial—has eroded stability post-Hasina.
The audio captures a Dhaka-based US envoy eyeing Jamaat-e-Islami as a strategic ally. As Bangladesh’s top Islamist entity, blacklisted by Russia as terrorists, Jamaat’s history is bloodied: opposing independence, Pakistan loyalists, Liberation War killers via death squads, Muslim Brotherhood acolytes.
Revived in 2024 via order and 2025 court, it surges to second place despite past Hindu violence bans. US support would signal a policy pivot with dire repercussions.
Jamaat’s clout amplifies rigid Islamism as divisions deepen. Since 2024 unrest, women face mob brutality, sports bans for girls, widespread rapes. This in a female-led legacy nation is a tragic devolution.
Navigating religious rifts, Rohingya strains, and India tensions, the elections risk cementing uncertainty, especially for minorities denied equal footing.