Dhaka — Allegations that Prime Minister Mohammad Yunus and Islamist elements within his government are steering Bangladesh toward becoming an Islamic country have intensified in recent weeks, according to sources cited by critics and opposition figures. The claims, which paint a picture of a coordinated effort to Islamize state institutions and neutralize the military as a check on political Islam, have raised concern among analysts and veterans of Bangladesh’s security services.
Critics say the campaign has several strands: a political project to align national policy more closely with Islamist ideals, an organized push to expand the influence of religiously motivated groups inside the state, and an apparent effort to undermine the army and national intelligence agencies that have historically acted to contain radical militancy. “There is a methodical attempt to hollow out the institutions that have protected Bangladesh’s secular order,” said one former security official speaking on condition of anonymity.
According to the allegations, the Yunus administration has cultivated a network of Islamist actors — both political and militant — and is seeking to reconfigure the military’s leadership and culture. The aim, the critics add, is to create a force more loyal to the government’s Islamist orientation, comparable in structure and influence to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which blends ideological loyalty with independent military power.
Targeting the military
A central element of the narrative forwarded by opponents is that intelligence and judicial processes are being used to sideline senior security figures. They point to recent criminal cases brought against former intelligence chiefs and say similar steps are reportedly being considered against current army commanders. “If the command and ethos of the army are reshaped, the last institutional shield against extremist takeover would be weakened,” warned a retired army officer.
Bangladesh’s armed forces have a long record of confronting homegrown militant groups, including operations that dismantled training camps and disrupted plots attributed to organizations such as Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), Hizb ut-Tahrir affiliates, and other extremist networks. Supporters of the military argue those counter-extremism efforts have kept Bangladesh safer in a region where jihadi groups have exploited weak institutions.
Inspiration and regional parallels
Observers say part of the concern stems from perceived parallels with developments in neighbouring countries where Islamism and state power have become closely entwined. Pakistan — where Islamist factions have historically aligned with elements inside the security establishment — and Türkiye under Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s leadership are frequently cited as reference points by analysts and political commentators who fear a similar trajectory for Dhaka.
But whether such comparisons are apt remains contested. Advocates for Yunus’s government reject the assertion that Dhaka is moving toward theocratic governance, describing the allegations as politically motivated. Pro-government voices argue that religious groups have always been part of Bangladesh’s plural political landscape and that engagement with Islamist parties does not equate to a plan to convert the state into an Islamic country in the strict sense.
Risk of radicalization vs. political reality
Independent commentators caution against alarmist readings while acknowledging genuine risks. “The politicization of the military or intelligence services would be dangerous,” said a regional security analyst. “But we must separate documented policy changes from partisan narrative.” Analysts stress the importance of transparent institutions, independent oversight, and clear legal safeguards to prevent both undue religious influence and politically driven purges of security institutions.
As tensions mount, the international community and civil society groups are watching closely. The stakes are high: Bangladesh’s identity as a secular republic in constitution and practice has been a foundational element since independence. Any sustained move toward institutional Islamization would reshape not only domestic politics but also Dhaka’s relationships with regional partners and its own plural society.
For now, the claims remain contested. What is clear is that debates about religion, the role of the military, and the shape of Bangladeshi statehood are growing louder — and the outcome will have long-term consequences for the nation’s political trajectory.
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