Bangladesh: AROPL Member Threatened and Harassed for Peaceful Religious Expression
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On February 14, a hostile group of Sunni extremists in Laksam Thana, Comilla District, Bangladesh confronted AROPL member Sala Uddin.
By Ailia Muhammad
February 14, 2025 – Laksam Thana, Comilla District, Bangladesh
On the evening of February 14, at approximately 8 p.m. local time, AROPL member Sala Uddin was affixing posters in public areas when he was confronted, threatened, and forcibly stopped by a hostile group of Sunni extremists.
As he placed posters near the Upazila Health Complex in Laksam Thana, an individual approached him with accusatory questions about the content of the posters and his motivations. Shortly thereafter, another man aggressively tore down the posters, while others began issuing threats. The confrontation escalated as Brother Sala Uddin was bombarded with questions, including whether he was working for money and whether he was part of a supposed agenda. One individual went so far as to accuse him of being a “stooge of the Jews,” making an antisemitic reference to AROPL's logo which is the Star of David.
The hostility intensified as approximately 30-40 people gathered, openly threatening Sala Uddin and demanding to know who had sent him. Some members of the crowd called for his detention. Fearing for his safety, he managed to leave the scene in a rented auto-rickshaw. His posters were confiscated, and he was warned that if he continued his activities, he would face severe consequences. Some members of the crowd even made death threats to him.
The threats against Sala Uddin represent a dangerous pattern of religious intolerance that must be addressed. This is now the second incident of extremist hatred against our members in Bangladesh, a worrying trend, which makes us fear for the safety of our members.