Archive · 19 Aug 2026
Bangladesh Cleric’s ‘Silenced’ Warning Draws Outrage in Chittagong
A Bangladeshi cleric named Mufti Harun Izhar reportedly made a warning about Hindus in Chittagong.
He said the Hindu community would be “silenced.”
Someone recorded the speech, and the video spread online.
However, the news report said the video could not be independently verified.
Izhar spoke at an event organised by the Dawah Movement.
He has previously been involved in controversies about religion and politics.
The remarks have caused concern because Bangladesh has a Hindu minority whose safety is a sensitive issue.
They may also increase attention on tensions between Islamist groups and Hindu organisations in Chittagong.
Mufti Harun Izhar reportedly warned that Hindus in Chittagong would be “silenced.”
The remarks were made at a Dawah Movement event in Chittagong.
A video of the speech is circulating, but Firstpost said it could not independently verify it.
Izhar is associated with Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh and was arrested over violence-linked cases in 2021.
The comments come amid continuing concerns about minority security and tensions involving Hindu organisations and Islamist groups.
- Who
- Bangladeshi cleric Mufti Harun Izhar, speaking about Hindus in Chittagong.
- What
- He reportedly warned that the Hindu community would be “silenced.”
- When
- The report does not provide a date for the latest event; the video has recently circulated on social media.
- Where
- At a Dawah Movement event in Chittagong, Bangladesh.
- Why
- The remarks have drawn scrutiny amid continuing concerns about religious-minority treatment and communal tensions in Bangladesh.
- Speaker
- Mufti Harun Izhar, a senior Islamist cleric associated with Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh.
- Reported warning
- Hindus would be “silenced,” according to the circulating video and report.
- Verification status
- Firstpost said it could not independently verify the purported video.
- Previous arrest
- Izhar was arrested in 2021 in cases connected to violence during protests against Narendra Modi’s visit to Bangladesh.
- Release
- He was released on bail in 2023 after spending about two years in custody.
- Earlier Chittagong tensions
- Hefazat-e-Islam held a November 2024 rally demanding a ban on ISKCON.