Islamic State expands its presence in Bangladesh

Always opportunistic and seeking to supplant its forefather al-Qaeda, the Islamic State appears to have struck in Bangladesh, claiming responsibility for the killing of Italian missionary Piero Parolari this past Wednesday.  This follows the killing of Italian aid worker Cesare Tavella, who was killed on September 28 in Dhaka, a murder also claimed by Islamic State. Bengali authorities arrested four men in connection with that killing, but denied any connection to the self-declared caliphate.

Bangladesh relies heavily on NGOs and international assistance, a likely factor in the government’s decision to publicize a zero-tolerance approach to jihadi terror.  Nevertheless, rampant corruption, porous borders, and a history of Islamist activity make Bangladesh an attractive target as well as staging area for attacks in the Indian subcontinent.

The Bangladeshi branch of Jamaat-e-Islami (JEI), a group closely linked to the better known Muslim Brotherhood, has been active since the early 1940’s, becoming a political party following Bangladeshi independence in 1971.  Founded on the principles of Abul-Alaa Mawdudi, a key jihadi ideologue, the JEI advocates an Islamic government based on Shariah. Like the Brotherhood, it is prepared to participate in elections, but recent political support is limited, only winning a few seats in Parliament every cycle.

Through his numerous books, Mawdudi’s work on Islamic politics and jihad heavily influenced al-Qaeda. AQ, whose ties in the region go back to the “mujahideen” war against the Soviet Union in Afghanistan, announced in September 2014 the creation of “al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent.”  Seeking to unite the numerous splinter jihadi factions in Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh, AQIS was mainly established at least in part as a countermove to the declaration of the Caliphate by IS in June.

One of its first actions were attacks on secular Bangladeshi bloggers, who were accused of insulting the prophet and promoting apostasy from Islam.  At least four murders were attributed to AQIS, which were carried out by its local affiliates Ansar al-Islam Bangladesh and Ansarullah Bangla Team.

Keen to steal the spotlight from al-Qaeda, the Islamic State launched attacks of their own in the subcontinent. After establishing its Wilayat Khorasan in Afghanistan, IS apparently co-opted some jihadists from AQIS, as well as recruited and indoctrinated new members to carry out murders against Western missionaries (“Crusaders” in IS-speak).

The latest issue of their propaganda organ Dabiq spells out their goal: “These blessed back-to-back attacks have caused havoc among the citizens of the crusader nations and their allies living in Bengal and forced their diplomats, tourists, and expats to limit their movements and live in a constant state of fear.”

By targeting clergy and aid workers, the Islamic State’s strategy in Bangladesh follows their familiar tactics: undermine the credibility of the government, spread chaos, and strike terror in the population.  In the meantime, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government is now facing the challenge of dealing with both terror groups and their competition for jihadist supremacy.