In a shocking twist that has exposed the depth of Islamist propaganda in Bangladesh, law enforcement authorities have unmasked a meticulously planned “abduction drama” orchestrated by extremist elements to vilify ISKCON, stoke communal hatred, and inflame anti-India sentiment. The so-called kidnapping of a Tongi-based imam, which had triggered waves of outrage and nationwide Islamist protests, has now been revealed as a dangerous hoax - a calculated attempt to plunge the country into religious chaos and violence against Hindus.

Abduction that shook Bangladesh

The case centered around Mawlana Md. Muhibullah Miyaji, a 60-year-old cleric from the BTCL T&T Colony Jame Mosque in Tongi. His disappearance on October 22, 2025, initially appeared to be a serious criminal incident. Islamist groups quickly claimed that the imam had been kidnapped by “Hindu extremists” because of his criticism of ISKCON - the International Society for Krishna Consciousness - and alleged links to “Indian conspiracies”.

In his initial statement, Muhibullah alleged that the kidnappers, speaking “standard Bengali”, had blindfolded and assaulted him, forcing him to chant slogans in support of ISKCON and “Akhand Bharat”. His claims went viral within hours, spreading fury across social media and mosques nationwide.

Islamist mobilization 

Just two days later, on October 22, Ataur Rahman Bikrompuri, amir of the Islamist outfit Azadi Andolon Bangladesh, released a 17-minute Facebook video calling for nationwide protests after Friday prayers. He urged imams across the country to march in solidarity under the slogan: “Allahu Akbar! Ideology of ISKCON – Abduction, Murder, and Rape!” He branded ISKCON as a terrorist entity and accused it of promoting Indian hegemony in Bangladesh.

Following Bikrompuri’s incendiary appeal, several Islamist groups - including Hefazat-e-Islam and Islami Andolan Bangladesh - organized demonstrations in Panchagarh, Tangail, and other districts. Protesters shouted anti-Hindu and anti-India slogans, accusing New Delhi of orchestrating the “abduction” to suppress Muslim clerics.

A particularly disturbing video went viral on October 25, showing Muhibullah’s son publicly threatening to “enter India, launch Ghazwa-e-Hind, and slaughter ISKCON members”. Standing ominously behind him in the clip was none other than Ataur Rahman Bikrompuri himself.

No Abduction, Only Deception

In a dramatic twist, police investigations soon dismantled the entire narrative. Gazipur Metropolitan Police obtained multiple CCTV recordings from Tongi and surrounding areas - and the evidence was irrefutable.

Footage revealed that on October 22, at precisely 6:52:40 a.m., Muhibullah calmly left his house, opening the gate with his own hand. Another camera captured him leaving the mosque a minute later, unaccompanied and visibly composed. By 7:18 a.m., cameras at the Shilmun Axis Link CNG Filling Station recorded him walking alone toward Kaliganj. There was no ambulance, no assailants, and no sign of distress.

Md. Soleiman, the manager of the filling station, later confirmed, “Different police units reviewed our CCTV footage three times. There was no abduction”.

Investigators then discovered that Muhibullah had purchased a ticket from Shyamoli Paribahan and boarded a bus to Panchagarh - nearly 400 km away. Both the bus supervisor and a passenger confirmed the imam’s voluntary travel.

When confronted with this evidence, Muhibullah confessed to staging his own disappearance. He admitted that he had traveled to Panchagarh of his own accord but falsely claimed to have been kidnapped. Police are now investigating whether the plot was encouraged or financed by extremist groups to provoke sectarian unrest.

Propaganda Machine In Overdrive

The deception unraveled a dangerous propaganda network that thrives on exploiting religious sentiment. Within hours of Muhibullah’s supposed abduction, coordinated online campaigns flooded social media with hashtags demanding the banning of ISKCON and the boycotting of Indian goods. Radical preachers used Friday sermons to accuse Hindu organizations of “trying to destroy Islam,” stirring public anger and fear.

This incident follows a disturbing pattern. Over the past few years, Bangladesh has witnessed a surge in fabricated cases and false blasphemy claims targeting Hindu minorities. Such disinformation campaigns have repeatedly led to mob attacks, vandalism of temples, and loss of innocent lives. The Tongi episode represents the latest attempt to weaponize communal emotions for political and ideological gain.

Investigative Journalism Exposes Lie

Independent journalist Zulkarnain Saer (Sami), affiliated with Al Jazeera’s I-Unit, played a pivotal role in debunking the hoax. On his verified Facebook page, Saer published a detailed analysis of CCTV timelines, exposing glaring inconsistencies in the imam’s account. His findings directly contradicted every element of the abduction story, forcing law enforcement to reexamine the narrative.

His reporting not only dismantled the lie but also illustrated how rapidly misinformation can metastasize in the current political climate - where Islamist groups, aided by digital echo chambers, exploit falsehoods to manipulate public opinion.

Calculated Strategy To Incite Riots

Investigators believe the motive behind the staged abduction was to trigger a chain reaction - violent protests, attacks on Hindu temples, and destruction of ISKCON properties. The ultimate goal: to create nationwide communal unrest and divert attention from the growing extremism within Bangladesh’s Islamist ecosystem.

The police have since detained Muhibullah and his two sons for questioning. According to senior officers, “The intention was to provoke communal violence by fabricating a kidnapping story implicating ISKCON and India. We are now tracing those who encouraged or assisted him”.

Deepening Islamist Network 

What makes this incident particularly alarming is its timing and the broader network of Islamist mobilization surrounding it. Intelligence sources in Dhaka have pointed to a resurgence of cross-border extremist coordination, especially between Pakistani and Bangladeshi Salafist movements.

Adding to these concerns, reports indicate that controversial preacher Zakir Naik is scheduled to visit Bangladesh from November 28 to December 20, 2025, following a decision by the Yunus regime to lift the existing ban on his Peace TV. Naik, infamous for justifying suicide bombings and glorifying Osama bin Laden, had been barred from Bangladesh since the 2016 Holeya Artisan Bakery massacre - an ISIS-inspired terror attack directly linked to his radical sermons.

During his upcoming visit, Naik is expected to hold large rallies in border districts adjoining India - a move intelligence officials fear could reignite Salafist recruitment and anti-India sentiment. His invitation and red-carpet treatment raise grave concerns about the government’s apparent appeasement of extremist elements.

Hafiz Sayeed’s associate in Bangladesh

The situation has become even more worrisome following the recent entry of Ibtisam Elahi Zaheer, a senior leader of Pakistan’s Markazi Jamiat Ahl-e Hadis and a close associate of globally designated terrorist Hafiz Sayeed, mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.

According to credible intelligence sources, Zaheer arrived in Bangladesh on October 25, landing at Rajshahi’s Shah Makhdum Airport. He was received by Abdur Rahim bin Abdur Razzak, a member of Al Jamia As Salifa - a research foundation linked to Ahl-e Hadis Andolan Bangladesh (AHAB), which serves as a local offshoot of Pakistan’s Ahl-e Hadis movement.

Zaheer was then escorted to Naudapara in Rajshahi, where he reportedly met Sheikh Abdur Razzak bin Yusuf, chairman of Al Jamia As Salifa, before traveling to Chapainawabganj, a sensitive district bordering India. Intelligence operatives suspect Zaheer held closed-door meetings with Asadullah al Ghalib, the AHAB chief long accused of facilitating radical recruitment and funding militant cells under religious cover.

Zaheer’s extremist record is extensive. In 2012, he publicly urged Muslims to “kill apostates” and warned that Jews and Christians “can never be friends of Islam.” His speeches, delivered across the UK and South Asia, have incited sectarian hatred and glorified violence. British authorities have investigated several mosques and charities - including Umm Ul Qura Foundation in Bradford and Makki Masjid in Manchester - for hosting him. UK media outlets have accused him of condoning sexual slavery and justifying terror in the name of jihad.

Zaheer’s presence in Bangladesh, therefore, is not an isolated occurrence but part of a broader Salafi strategy to rebuild cross-border networks under the guise of religious outreach. Counterterrorism experts in both Dhaka and New Delhi view his activities as a direct threat to regional stability.

Dangerous Convergence  movements - paint a deeply disturbing picture of Bangladesh’s current trajectory. Since the 2024 coup, Islamist influence has expanded alarmingly under the interim regime of Muhammad Yunus, creating fertile ground for extremist ideologies to spread under official tolerance. These developments risk transforming Bangladesh into a new hub for transnational jihadist coordination, potentially undermining decades of progress in combating religious extremism. They also jeopardize the nation’s relationship with India, as radical narratives increasingly frame Hindus and Indian interests as “enemies of Islam”.

Warning For Bangladesh, Region

The unmasking of the Muhibullah abduction hoax must serve as a wake-up call. It demonstrates how swiftly a single falsehood - amplified through social media and religious networks - can endanger national cohesion and regional harmony.

The timely intervention of police and journalists prevented what could have become a communal catastrophe. But the deeper danger persists: the deliberate cultivation of hatred and misinformation to destabilize Bangladesh from within.

Extremist groups, both domestic and foreign, are clearly testing the limits of Bangladesh’s tolerance. The nation’s response in the coming weeks - particularly regarding Zakir Naik’s entry and Zaheer’s movements - will determine whether it stands firm against radicalization or slides further toward chaos.

In the end, the so-called abduction of Mawlana Muhibullah Miyaji was not just a personal deception - it was a warning. A warning that Bangladesh stands at a crossroads between truth and manipulation, peace and polarization, secularism and sectarianism. Whether the country can resist this tide of Islamist deceit will define not only its future but also the stability of South Asia itself.

(The author is a journalist, writer, and editor of the Blitz. He specializes in counterterrorism and regional geopolitics. He can be contacted at salahuddinshoaibchoudhury@yahoo.com, follow him on X: @Salah_Shoaib )