After radical Islamist forces swept across the country, Bangladesh is reeling under the influence of fundamentalism.
However, the country was shocked as the Islamists forced the organisers of a women’s football tournament to cancel a match scheduled to be held in the Northern Bangladeshi town of Rangpur.

Radical Islamists Protest Against Women’s Football

Calling it un-Islamic, the Islami Andolan Bangladesh held a protest rally against the event.

In an attempt to avoid any untoward incident, the local police asked the organisers to cancel the match and send the girls back
to their home for their safety.

However, it was not the first time that a women’s football match was canceled under the pressure of the Islamists.

In an earlier incident taking place in Dinajpur, 70 km away from Rangpur, the Islamists demonstrated against a football match against the local club, thought the girls wanted to play. According to reports, four people were injured in the protests.

Three matches of girls’ football were canceled under the pressure of Islamic forces in northern Bangladesh in less than two weeks.

Do Bangladeshi Women Footballers Fear Islamists?

After Bangladeshi women won two consecutive South Asia Football Championships in recent years, the women footballers became instant role models.

They inspired many girls, who took the game seriously.

However, most of them are in constant fear after the Islamists raised objections to girls playing football.

They argue that the matches they stopped were against their religious values.

They emphasised that they are determined to prevent any future women’s football matches.

Bangladesh Under Pressure Of Radical Islamists?

Then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was forced to flee Bangladesh on August 5, 2024, after hundreds of thousands of people came out on the streets protesting against her government.

Analysts believe radical Islamist outfit Jamaat-e-Islam Bangladesh was behind the protests as its student wing Chhatra Shibir spearheaded the protests.

Muhammad Yunus-led Bangladesh Interim government lifted the ban imposed on the Jamaat by the previous government. Its representative has also joined the government.

The leader of another Islamic outfit Ansarullah Bangladesh (ABT), Jashimuddin Rahmani, was released on bail in August.

Analysts admit Islamic extremism is not a new phenomenon in Bangladesh.

However, religious zealots became extremely active in the last decade as they targeted secular bloggers, atheists, minorities, foreigners and others.

They killed dozens of seculars, terroised them and many of them fled the country.

Will Muhammad Yunus-Led Govt Crack Whip?

However, analysts believe, the south-Asian country is under the increasing influence of radical Islam.

They have made deep inroads in society with Chhatra Shibir spreading in universities across the country.

The Islamists have demanded to remove the word “secular” from the Constitution, reform it and remove all references to Mujibur Rehman, the man who spearheaded the freedom movement against Pakistan.

With the Nobel Laureate chief adviser to the interim government not taking a tough stand against these forces, the people of Bangladesh fear a radical onslaught.

Will the Muhammd Yunus-led government wake up and crack a whip on the fundamentalists at least to reign in them?