Zakir Naik's Entry to Bangladesh Denied
The government has decided not to grant entry to Islamic preacher Zakir Naik for now, postponing his proposed visit until after the upcoming national elections. The decision was made at a core committee meeting on law and order at the Home Ministry's conference room on Tuesday.
A Home Ministry source said an organization planned to host Naik for two days on November 28–29, with further travel outside Dhaka. Discussions had been ongoing for days, but the committee concluded that his arrival could draw massive crowds, requiring significant police deployment—resources currently stretched thin due to election preparations.
"His visit would demand huge manpower for crowd control, which isn't feasible now. Everyone is election-focused," the source said. The committee agreed Naik could come after the polls, but not before.
Naik, 60, fled India in 2016 after the Dhaka Holey Artisan Bakery terrorist attack, where investigators linked attackers to his sermons. The Hasina government banned him and his Peace TV. He holds permanent residency in Malaysia's Putrajaya since 2017.
The meeting, chaired by Home Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Mohammad Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, included General Adviser Adilur Rahman Khan, Chief Adviser's international special envoy Lutfe Siddiqui, special assistant Lt Gen (retd) Abdul Hafiz, Police IG Baharul Alam, and other senior officials.
