Political Islam in Bangladesh: from Faraidi movement to Hefajat-i-Islam

Abstract

The sudden emergence of the militant fundamentalist Islamic group of Hefajat-i-Islam indicates the medieval Islamic activism which is still playing a pivotal role in ossification of the democratic and pluralist socio-political character of Bangladesh. Bengali nationalism which once built strong ties among ‘Bangalees’ is now turning moribund due to the naked interference by the state in civic and public sphere. This paper deals with the course of transformation of popular Islam into political Islam by using discourse analysis. The many- sided character of Political Islam has generated political turbulence that throws open a serious challenges to present state democracy in Bangladesh. The root of the problem is that most of the power practitioners in Bangladesh are autocratic power mongers ready to stoop low playing with religious sentiments of the people while banking on corrupt bureaucracy pushing the ordinary people in the receiving end. The present incarnation of political-fundamentalist Islam, which thrives on militancy, betrays the fundamental tenets of popular Islam.