Bangladesh on Friday sought details from India about the operations of controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik in the country. Former information minister of Bangladesh Hasanul Haq Inu, who is on a six-day visit to Delhi, said they were waiting for India to take action against the televangelist, who was believed to have inspired one of the militants behind the Dhaka cafe attack, PTI reported.
He said, "From Bangladesh's side, Zakir Naik's case has been settled. We have stopped the broadcast of Peace TV...We have taken our stand. We have asked the Indian side to take their position and give us necessary information." He also accused Pakistan of "harbouring terrorism", adding that 90% of the recent attacks on bloggers, thinkers and Sufi civilians had links with the banned home-grown outfit Jamaat-e-Islami. JeI is suspected to have been a "corroborator" with forces from Pakistani during the 1971 Liberation War.
Naik has been under scrutiny since it emerged that his speeches had inspired one of the terrorists behind the Dhaka cafe attack on July 1. While the Maharashtra intelligence department gave the televangelist a clean chit, saying they could not make out a case against him, the Centre is still looking into sources funding his Islamic Research Organisation. He was also accused of meeting two brothers from Kerala who went missing from West Asia and are feared to have joined the Islamic State group.
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