Ever since the Sheikh Hasina government was toppled in 2024, the growing presence of extremist organisations in Bangladesh has triggered security concerns in New Delhi. Recently, flags associated with terror outfits such as al-Qaeda and the Islamic State (ISIS) have appeared on several busy roads in the country, raising serious alarm in India. According to local media reports, these flags featured the Kalima (the Islamic declaration of faith) and were displayed prominently beside major thoroughfares.
ISIS flags openly getting attention in Bangladesh
Dhaka Tribune first reported the emergence of such flags and hoardings on 17 June. Notably, they were first spotted in the national capital, Dhaka — home to top government officials, bureaucrats, and administrative headquarters.
The controversial flags were later seen in multiple locations, including Mirpur, Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar, and Faridpur — all densely populated areas with heavy daily footfall. Videos of rallies carrying similar flags have also gone viral on social media. Surprisingly, neither the publications that reported the incidents nor other local media outlets have mentioned any action being taken against those responsible for the rallies.
Why are these flags controversial?
Two distinct versions of the Kalema flag have recently appeared in Bangladesh. Both feature the Arabic inscription "La ilaha illallah" (There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah). One version has black text on a white background — the official flag of the Taliban.
The other has white text on a black background — a design commonly used by al-Qaeda, the Islamic State (ISIS), and Hizb ut-Tahrir.
Hizb ut-Tahrir, which was banned in 2009 under the Sheikh Hasina government, has significantly increased its activities since the 2024 political unrest. Last year, the group organised a large “March for Khilafat” in front of Dhaka’s main mosque, drawing over 2,000 participants, as part of its long-standing campaign for a global caliphate.
It remains unclear whether Hizb ut-Tahrir is directly behind the recent rallies and the sudden proliferation of these Kalema flags. Several marches have been held under the banner of “Tawhidi Janata,” a loosely organised Islamist group that claims to defend Islamic monotheism (Tawhid). In at least one procession, Palestinian flags were also visible.
Last year, groups associated with Tawhidi Janata were reportedly involved in attacks on Sufi shrines, traditional Baul gatherings, and other institutions perceived as deviating from strict monotheism. The development has raised serious concerns among Bangladeshi security agencies.
Why India’s fear is real
India has raised concerns regarding the visits of top Pakistani military officials and the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), an intelligence agency involved in orchestrating several blasts in India. New Delhi sees these visits as increasing the footprints of extremist organisations, which are responsible for spreading communal tensions in the border regions of West Bengal and Assam.
"It seems a group is trying to bring some behaviour or culture of foreign extremist groups into the mainstream. It appears they are trying to gain the moral support of ordinary religious people in the name of the Kalema," a Bangladeshi counterterrorism official told bdnews24.
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