The following report is now a complimentary offering from MEMRI's Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor (JTTM). For JTTM subscription information, click here.
On April 19, 2024, Hizb-ut-Tahrir Bangladesh organized protests and events in mosques in the cities of Dhaka and Chittagong, where its speakers accused the government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of trying to normalize relations with Israel. Hizb-ut-Tahrir is a global Islamist organization known for seeking to cause rebellion among the armed forces of Islamic countries to overthrow governments and establish an Islamic caliphate.
In an April 19 press statement, Hizb-ut-Tahrir noted that the protesters alleged that: "Two planes arriving in Dhaka on two consecutive days directly from the illegal state of Israel, a milestone in normalizing relations with the illegitimate Jewish state. " Earlier, on April 15, Hizb-ut-Tahrir Bangladesh issued another statement, raising the same concern.
In both statements, Hizb-ut-Tahrir Bangladesh noted how the Sheikh Hasina government had amended rules to make the Bangladeshi passport valid for travel to Israel. It also said that when the entire Muslim world is demanding action against Israel to protect Palestinians in Gaza, the Bangladeshi government is not bothered, and is instead seeking to normalize diplomatic relations with Israel. "The only way to liberate Palestine is to unite with Hizb-ut-Tahrir in the political struggle to re-establish the Khilafah [caliphate] and inspire those of our sons who are serving in the military to give nusrah [aid] to Hizb-ut-Tahrir in re-establishing the Khilafah [caliphate] – that will liberate Palestine through military operations, Insha'Allah [Allah willing]," the Islamist group wrote.
A protest organized by Hizb-ut-Tahrir, Bangladesh.
Following are excerpts from the April 19 statement:[1]
"When The Plea Of The Muslims To Allah In This Month Of Ramadan Was The Liberation Of Palestine, The Hasina Government Shamelessly Rushed To Normalize Relations With The Illegal State Of Israel"
"Speakers at the rally exposed the Hasina government's desperation to normalize relations with the illegitimate Jewish state, saying: 'Being desperate to please America and stay in power, the Hasina government is joining the ranks of traitorous Arab Muslim rulers who signed (and those are waiting to sign) the Abraham Accords in Washington, D.C. on September 15, 2020, brokered by the United States.'
"When the brutality of the cursed Jewish entity on the Muslims of Palestine is haunting the conscience of the world, when Muslims worldwide are vocal in their demand to send the Muslim military forces to liberate the Sacred Land of Palestine and the Al-Aqsa Mosque, when the plea of the Muslims to Allah in this month of Ramadan was the liberation of Palestine, the Hasina government shamelessly rushed to normalize relations with the illegal state of Israel in accordance with the 'two state solution' policy of the U.S.A.
"The Hasina government set a milestone for normalizing relations with the illegal Jewish state by secretly landing the U.S.-based Israeli aircraft on the country's soil, without caring about the sentiments of the people, choosing the path of betrayal of Islam and the Muslim Ummah.
"Speakers at the rally exposed the Hasina government's deceptive policy toward Palestinian Muslims, saying: 'Hasina is a hypocrite ruler who has misled the people of the country by crying for the Palestinian Muslims, while her government maintains ties with the occupying Jewish entity. Her government sent 75 members of the Bangladesh Navy to Lebanon under a peacekeeping mission to protect the Jewish entity from the mujahideen's attacks.'"
"When 33,000 Palestinian Muslim Lives... Have Been Lost So Far In The 'Israeli' Genocide, The Hasina Government, By Allowing 'Israeli' Planes To Land On The Country's Soil, Has Bled More Blood Into The Hearts Of Muslims With Its Arrow Of Treachery"
"Earlier, her government removed the words 'Israel except' from Bangladeshi passports, in a move to normalize relations with the illegal Jewish state. When 33,000 Palestinian Muslim lives, including 25,000 children and women, have been lost so far in the 'Israeli' genocide, the Hasina government, by allowing 'Israeli' planes to land on the country's soil, has bled more blood into the hearts of Muslims with its arrow of treachery.
"... May Allah destroy them; how are they deluded? – (Surah Al-Munafiqun: 4).
"Reminding the Muslims of their responsibility to liberate the sacred Land of Palestine, the speakers said: 'The Muslim Ummah has witnessed how, after the destruction of the Khilafah (Caliphate) in 1924 CE, the Jews occupied the Sacred Land of Palestine with the help of the Western Kafir [unbeliever] colonists, in the silence that the secular agent rulers imposed on the Muslim Ummah, still continuing to brutalize the Palestinian Muslims clinging to this Holy Land, and regularly desecrate Al-Aqsa Mosque, the first Qibla [the direction toward which a Muslim turns to pray in Islam] of Muslims.
"Therefore, the only way to liberate Palestine is to unite with Hizb-ut-Tahrir in the political struggle to re-establish the Khilafah (Caliphate) and inspire those of our sons who are serving in the military to give nusrah [aid] to Hizb-ut-Tahrir in re-establishing the Khilafah, that will liberate Palestine through military operations, Insha'Allah [Allah willing]."
Following are excerpts from the April 15 statement:[2]
"Hasina Is A Hypocrite Ruler Who Has Misled The People Of The Country By Shedding Crocodile Tears For The Palestinian Muslims; She Has Condemned 'Israel's' Actions In Palestine At The Recent Munich Security Conference... Yet Her Government Continues To Maintain Relations With The Occupying Jewish Entity"
"On the holy 28th of Ramadan 1445 AH, April 7, 2024, and the holy day of Eid-ul-Fitr, April 11, 2024, in Bangladesh, while the people of the country were celebrating their holiday, two Boeing aircraft registered and operated by National Air Cargo Inc., USA, that are able to carry two cargoes, secretly landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka from Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv. Although both flights came directly from Tel Aviv to Dhaka, they made their next stop at Sharjah Airport in the United Arab Emirates, after departing from Bangladesh.
"Note here that the United Arab Emirates (where the flight made a stopover), and Bahrain, signed the Abraham Accords in Washington, D.C. on September 15, 2020, brokered by the United States, to normalize relations with 'Israel.' By establishing diplomatic relations with the Jewish entity for the first time under this agreement, ending the decades-long policy of boycotting 'Israel' by Muslim countries, they set a precedent of betrayal of the Muslim Ummah.
"Desperate to stay in power, the Hasina government is also joining the ranks of these treacherous Arab Muslim rulers by deceiving the people. When the brutality of the cursed Jewish forces on the Muslims of Palestine is haunting the conscience of the world of humankind, when Muslims worldwide are vocal in their demand to send Muslim military forces to liberate the Holy Land of Palestine and the Al-Aqsa Mosque, when the plea of the Muslims to Allah in this month of Ramadan is the liberation of Palestine, then this step of Hasina government to normalize relations with this illegal state of 'Israel' is unprecedented.
"Hasina is the hypocrite ruler who has misled the people of the country by shedding crocodile tears for Palestinian Muslims. She has condemned 'Israel's' actions in Palestine at the recent Munich Security Conference and has publicly criticized 'Israel' several times, saying – 'Israel is literally committing genocide in Palestine.' Yet her government continues to maintain relations with the occupying Jewish entity. While people are demanding the country's military be sent to protect Palestinian Muslims, its government has sent 75 members of the Bangladesh Navy to Lebanon under a peacekeeping mission to protect the Jewish entity from the attacks of the mujahideen.
"The Muslim Ummah Has Witnessed How, After The Destruction Of The Khilafah (Caliphate) In 1924 CE, Jews Occupied The Holy Land Of Palestine With The Help Of The Western Kafir Colonists"
"In fact, the Hasina government shamelessly wants to normalize relations with the Jewish entity according to the U.S.'s 'Two-State Policy.' The Hasina government set the milestone of normalization of relations by secretly allowing the landing of the U.S.-based 'Israeli' aircraft on the country's soil, without caring about the sentiments of the people. [She] chose the path of betrayal with Islam and the Muslim Ummah.
"It is the Muslim's duty of iman [faith] to reject these treacherous rulers because they have sold the Hereafter for this world and earned the wrath of Allah. Allah says... 'O, you who have believed, do not make allies of a people with whom Allah has become angry. They have despaired of (reward in) the Hereafter just as the disbelievers have despaired of (meeting) the companions (i.e., inhabitants) of the graves' – (Al-Mumtahina: 13).
"Oh People! We should know, on 18 May, 1901, the representative of the British-backed Zionist Society proposed the purchase of Palestinian land to Khalifah Abdul Hamid [i.e., Abdulhamid II of the Ottoman Empire]. In response, Khalifah Abdul Hamid replied, 'I cannot sell even an inch of land in Palestine, because it is not my property; it is the property of the Muslim Ummah. My people have fought for this land and soaked it with their blood. Let the Jews keep their millions, and if one day the Caliphate is destroyed, then they can take Palestine for free, but not while I live....'
"The Muslim Ummah has witnessed how, after the destruction of the Khilafah (Caliphate) in 1924 CE, Jews occupied the Holy Land of Palestine with the help of the Western Kafir colonists, with the silence of the secular agent rulers imposed on the Muslim Ummah, still continuing to brutalize the Palestinian Muslims clinging to this Holy Land and constantly desecrated Al-Aqsa Mosque, the first Qibla of Muslims.
"Therefore, the only way to liberate Palestine is to unite with Hizb-ut-Tahrir in the political struggle to re-establish the Khilafah, and inspire those of our sons who are serving in the military to give nusrah to Hizb-ut-Tahrir in re-establishing the Khilafah. They will liberate Palestine through military operations, Insha'Allah [Allah willing]. 'And that day the believers will rejoice in the victory of Allah. He gives victory to whom he wills, and he is exalted in might, the most merciful' – (Surah Ar-Rum: 4-5)."
