Al-Qaeda Leader al-Zawahiri Urges Jihad Against the “Anti-Islamic” Government of Bangladesh Widespread violence, marked by protest rallies, hartals (general shutdowns), group clashes and bombings have led to massive confrontations between secular and Islamist forces in Bangladesh over the last year. Now, al-Qaeda leader Dr. Ayman al-Zawahiri has issued a call for jihad in Bangladesh, the fourth largest Muslim nation in the world.
Sheikh Farid’s arrest, as one of the key figures advocating for global jihad in Bangladesh, is considered to be a crucial catch for investigating agencies in that country. Farid’s capture is useful primarily for unraveling many mysteries behind HuJI’s overt political agenda, funding networks and various subversive activities inside Bangladesh and in neighboring India and Burma.