BNP Leaders Face Backlash Over Ties with Extremists

Staff Reporter

Dhaka, April 17, 2025 – Allegations of connections between BNP leaders and supporters of extremist groups operating in Bangladesh have sparked strong reactions among netizens. Many have taken to social media to express their outrage.

Recent reports highlighted the arrest of Asif Adnan, accused of recruiting for the international extremist group ISIS, who was seen displaying a photo of the late Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. A photo of Adnan socializing with BNP-affiliated activist Asif Sayeq has gone viral on Facebook.

Khomeini Ehsan, another extremist activist, posted on Facebook, writing, “This one photo shows how deep BNP is in denial. Asif Adnan, accused of being an ISIS recruiter, and Mehedi Hasan, who flaunted a photo of Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, are linked with Asif Sayeq, a BNP activist and former leader of the student wing Chhatra Dal.”

Ehsan added, “This photo proves how little sense BNP supporters have while fighting online battles all day. They remain oblivious to how extremists have infiltrated their ranks.”

In his post, Ehsan expressed regret and warned, “I won’t say everything now, but the BNP leadership will eventually realize the dangerous trap they’ve fallen into. This photo speaks volumes.”

It is worth noting that Khomeini Ehsan was a vocal supporter and instigator of last year’s anti-government protests during July-August. He has been accused of inciting students to engage in violence and actively participating in such activities, according to multiple sources.