Hafiz Saeed’s associate Ibtisam Elahi Zaheer in Bangladesh, visits to border areas raise red flags

A close associate of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) founder Hafiz Saeed has been spotted in Bangladesh, conducting activities perilously close to the country’s border with Bangladesh.

Ibtisam Elahi Zaheer, General Secretary of Pakistan’s Markazi Jamiat Ahl-e-Hadith and a long-time ally of the UN-designated terrorist, arrived in Dhaka on October 25 and has since toured sensitive border districts, delivering inflammatory speeches and networking with local radical elements.

In the past two days, he visited border areas in Rajshahi and Chapainawabganj, and is scheduled to go to Rangpur this week.

This marks his second visit since the interim regime under Muhammad Yunus took office. He was also in Bangladesh for more than a week in February 2025.

Zaheer’s itinerary, which includes visits to multiple frontier areas and a high-profile Salafi conference, has raised fears of a deepening Pakistan-Bangladesh nexus aimed at destabilising the northeast.

Zaheer’s movements come amid heightened tensions following the ouster of Bangladesh’s Sheikh Hasina government in August 2024, with reports suggesting that the interim regime under Yunus has created openings for extremist networks previously kept in check.

Zaheer will participate in a huge Islami Conference in Rajshahi on November 6-7. He is expected to stay in the country for more than 12 days.

HAFIZ SAEED’S EVIL PLOT IN BANGLADESH

Hafiz Saeed, the mastermind behind the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, is rapidly expanding his influence in Bangladesh.

His associate, Zaheer, has been linked to Islamic sermons, but his activities near the India-Bangladesh border raise suspicions of a major conspiracy in Northeast India.

Zaheer landed at Shah Makhdum Airport in Rajshahi on the evening of October 25. He was received by a man named Abdur Rahim bin Abdur Razzaq. He is a member of Al Jamia As-Salifa, an Islamic research institute affiliated with the Bangladesh branch of the country’s Ahl-e-Hadith movement.

On Monday, Zaheer left Naudpara for Chapainawabganj with Sheikh Abdul Razzaq bin Yusuf. During the visit, the two visited some areas along the India-Bangladesh border, including Nachole. They are also scheduled to hold meetings at some local mosques.

A video accessed by India Today shows his visit to Chapainawabganj, where he also delivered a provocative speech.

Ibtisam Elahi Zaheer in Chapainawabganj said: “You must be ready to sacrifice yourself for the cause of Islam… ready to sacrifice your children as well. We must stand prepared to confront secular and liberal forces.”

He further said that “from Pakistan to Bangladesh, all Muslims will unite against the seculars.”

On Kashmir, Zaheer said: “The Kashmiris are being deprived of their freedom. It is Pakistan’s responsibility to raise a strong voice against the anti-Islamic laws and the oppressive acts in Indian Kashmir. By the grace of Allah, the day will come when Kashmir will become part of Pakistan.”

He also took part in a programme hosted by Nibras International School in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

According to Bangladeshi sources, Zaheer is expected to meet with Asadullah Al Ghalib, president of the Ahl-e-Hadith Movement Bangladesh.

ZAHEER ACTIVE ON THE INDIA-BANGLADESH BORDER

Sources told India Today indicate that Zaheer will visit various locations along the India-Bangladesh border, including Rangpur, Lalmonirhat, and Nilphamari, between October 29 and 31.

Zaheer will be in Joypurhat on November 1 and Nagaon on November 2, and will then address a major Salafi conference in Dangipara, Paba subdistrict, Rajshahi, on November 6 and 7. He is scheduled to return to Pakistan on November 8.

DEEP TIES TO GLOBAL TERRORISTS: ALLIANCES WITH HAFIZ SAEED AND ZAKIR NAIK

Ibtisam Elahi Zaheer also has a close alliance with Indian fugitive and radical preacher Zakir Naik, as Zakir Naik met him during his visit to Pakistan in October 2024.

Zaheer has over 24 years of association with Hafiz Saeed and Hafiz Saeed’s brother-in-law, the dreaded now-deceased LeT terrorist Abdul Rahman Makki, and Lashkar-e-Taiba co-founder Amir Hamza.

Zaheer’s ideological footprint extends beyond LeT, with his Ahl-e-Hadith affiliations providing a veneer of legitimacy to Salafi networks across South Asia.

His presence in Bangladesh, coinciding with planned visits by figures like Zakir Naik in late November, underscores a potential convergence of radical voices that could amplify recruitment and propaganda efforts targeting vulnerable border communities.

Bangladesh’s interim government has yet to comment on Zaheer’s visit.

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