Is Bangladesh turning into Afghanistan? Yunus regime facilitates restriction on women’s clothing, appeasement of Islamists, finds new love for Taliban and Sharia-compliant society
Bangladesh is gradually descending into the jaws of Islamism under the watch of ‘chief advisor’ to the interim government, Muhammad Yunus. The situation is so grim that comparisons are being made with the Taliban rule, and genuine fears are being expressed about the country turning into Afghanistan.
On 21st July this year, the ‘Bangladesh Bank’ gave a Talibani farman (diktat) barring female employees from wearing ‘short dresses’, ‘short sleeves’ and ‘leggings’. The directive by the Central Bank of Bangladesh also recommended that women wear headscarves and hijab.
‘Bangladesh Bank’ also warned of disciplinary actions against employees who refuse to adhere to the new guidelines. Within less than a year of the fall of Sheikh Hasina, the Central Bank of Bangladesh has resorted to imposing restrictions on the clothing of women.
The outrageous directive has drawn flak from women groups. Fauzia Moslem, who serves as the President of the Bangladesh Mahila Parishad pointed out, “I’ve never seen such a directive before. But considering everything happening now, it’s not hard to guess why this guideline was introduced.”
“A certain cultural sphere is being shaped, and this directive reflects that effort,” she added. After the Talibani farman of the ‘Bangladesh Bank’ caused a social media stir, the directive was withdrawn on Thursday (24th July).
“When this internal matter came to the notice of the governor, who is currently abroad, through the media, he expressed his anger and instructed that the matter be withdrawn immediately. Hopefully, this circular will not reduce anyone’s freedom of dress code in the office,” the Central Bank of Bangladesh said in a press conference.
New found love for Taliban and plans to turn Bangladesh into Afghanistan
This diktat by ‘Bangladesh Bank’ bore an uncanny resemblance to the orders by the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, restricting women from wearing clothes of their choice.
While the situation in Bangladesh does not look as grim as Afghanistan for now, the new found love for Taliban lays the foundation for more restrictions on women in the upcoming days.
Islamists had previously unleashed havoc on university teachers in Bangladesh by labelling them as ‘anti-hijab.’ The day is not far when women and girls in Bangladesh will be arrested for showing their face in public as is the case in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan.
Earlier this month, an Islamic outfit named ‘Jamaat-Char Monai’ announced its plans to turn Bangladesh into a Sharia-compliant nation like Afghanistan. It also vowed to follow the model implemented by the Taliban regime.
The organisation’s leader Mufti Syed Muhammad Faizul Karim declared, “If govt is formed by winning the national election, the Islamic Movement Bangladesh will introduce Sharia law in the country.”
“The current governance system of Afghanistan will be followed. If we come to power, Hindus will also get rights in Sharia law that we will introduce,” he added.
Declining respect and freedom for women in Bangladeshi society
In April this year, Muslims belonging to the radical outfit ‘Hefazat-e-Islam’ hung the effigy of a woman, stripped and defiled it with shoes to demand the abolishment of the Women Affairs Reform Commission in Bangladesh.
The incident occurred at the campus of the University of Dhaka near the iconic ‘Anti Terrorism Raju Memorial’ sculpture.
In a deleted video shared by Khoborer Kagoj, Muslims were seen assaulting an effigy of a woman, defiling and kicking it and thrashing it with shoes to display their angst. The effigy of the woman was draped in a saree (the kind that Hindu women wear) with its hands tied behind.
In March 2025, a librarian at Dhaka University, identified as Asif Sardar Arnab, sexually harassed a female student. Although he was initially arrested, Asif was quickly released on bail.
He was cheered and greeted with garlands by a radical Muslim mob, aligned with his behaviour. In the meantime, the victim had been subjected to violent threats for speaking out against the accused.
Asif sexually harassed the female student, claiming that her dress did not ‘sufficiently cover’ her breasts. His action was praised by Muslims for enforcing Islamic morality.
Screengrab of the report
In January this year, a Muslim mob laid siege to the Tilakpur High School in Joypurhat district of Bangladesh. The extremists, comprising madrassa students, carried out vandalism to protest against a friendly football match between two women’s teams.
The match was scheduled to take place on 29th January at the playground of the Tilakpur High School between the Joypurhat and Rangpur women’s football teams.
In visuals that have surfaced on social media, the Muslim mob could be seen vandalising the tin fence of the school. Prior to carrying out the attack, they gathered outside the Tilakpur railway station and gave provocative speeches.
Muslims carry out vandalism, destroy tin fence of Tilakpur High School
The mob demanded the cancellation of the women’s football match, alleging non-observance of purdah. Thereafter, the extremists made their way to the Tilakpur High School and unleashed mayhem.
A radical Muslim declared, “I want to warn those who want to earn money by exposing our women. Be careful. Stop all women’s games in the future. If you don’t stop, then we will show our resistance.”
OpIndia had previously reported on the alarming rise of rape cases in Bangladesh under the watch of Muhammad Yunus. In the meantime, Islamists who committed heinous crimes against women were freed by the top court of the country.
Muhammad Yunus tired to appease Islamic extremists
Bangladesh witnessed a drastic rise in Islamism after Yunus came to power. He first revoked the ban on the radical Islamist outfit ‘Jamaat-e-Islami.’
Thereafter, he released the leader of the radical outfit ‘Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT)’ Muhammad Jasimuddin Rahmani.
At the same time, Muhammad Yunus downplayed the targeted attacks on the Hindu community by violent Muslim mobs. He has gone on record from lamenting about attacks on Hindus to saying that the claims of atrocities are ‘exaggerated‘.
In that way, the controversial US asset was able to placate Islamic extremists. Given that Awami Legaue was against Islamism, the interim government first banned its student wing ‘Chhatra League,’ and then the parent party.
Under the watch of Muhammad Yunus, Bangladesh saw a drastic rise in vigilante Muslim mobs, which unleashed violence under the pretext of protecting the tenets of Islam.
These mobs were largely unorganised and called themselves ‘Tawhidi Janata (meaning Revolutionary People).’ They came under the spotlight over acts of vandalism and harassment of people.
The Yunus regime introduced new textbooks for primary and secondary students, which falsely claimed that the first declaration of independence of Bangladesh was made by Ziaur Rehman (a favourite icon of Muslim hardliners in Bangladesh).
The interim government also appointed a Hizb ut-Tahrir terrorist named Mohammad Azaz as the administrator for the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC).
The situation had become so grim that Bangladeshi ambassador to Morocco Mohammad Harun Al Rashid was forced to slam the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government in a scathing Facebook post in March 2025.
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