Did a 'Lashkar-e-Taiba operative' meet a Bangladeshi official before Pahalgam terror attack? US deflects question, but what happened?

'Lashkar operative' met Bangladeshi minister around time of Pahalgam terror attack: The US state department recently deflected a question about rise of radicalism in Bangladesh in the context of an alleged 'Laskar-e-Taiba operative' meeting a government official around the time of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in India's Jammu and Kashmir. This has raised a lot of curiosity about Mufti Harun, the leader of Hefajat-e-Islam, a radical group that was dismantled during the ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina's Awami League regime.

The question was raised to a US state department official on Tuesday (May 13) in the wake of reports that the interim Bangladeshi government of Muhammad Yunus is banning the activities of Awami League.

There have been reports amid Operation Sindoor, India's military response to Pahalgam attack, that the interim Bangladeshi dispensation is renewing links with radical and extremist elements.

At least 26 tourists, mostly Indian Hindus, were killed and more than 20 others injured in the Pahalgam attack, which led to India's Operation Sindoor on May 7.

About the meeting between Yunus cabinet member Dr Asif Nazrul and Hefazat-e-Islam leader Mufiti Harun Izhar

According to reports, Dr Asif Nazrul, the law adviser to the interim government of Bangladesh, met with Hefazat-e-Islam leader Mufti Harun Izhar.

The meeting between the official and the alleged Lashkar operative Mufti Harun is significant, as LeT is the Pakistan-based terror organisation behind the Pahalgam attack.

The two reportedly discussed legal cases filed against Islamic scholars and Hefazat leaders.

Posting on his Facebook page, Mufti Harun Izhar said on April 23, “Driven by our longstanding commitment to legal humanitarian support for the oppressed, we have held multiple rounds of dialogue with the relevant authorities. As part of this process, we held a private meeting with the Law Adviser.”

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Nazrul also posted on Facebook on the same day, saying, “During the anti-Islamic regime of Hasina, scholars and religious leaders have been subjected to various forms of persecution, including the filing of false cases. A list of such cases was recently submitted by Hefazat leaders, and steps are being taken to withdraw politically motivated charges.”

While there's no clarity as to when the meeting of Izhar and Nazrul took place, Indian strategic circles are watching the neighbour, which has now gravitated towards Pakistan since the ouster of Hasina.

Observers have underlined how India needs to be cautious and wary of such developments.

Who is Mufti Harun Izhar, the Hefazat/Lashkar operative?

Mufti Harun Izhar is one of the central leaders of Hefazat-e-Islam, an Islamist advocacy group consisting mostly of religious teachers and students.Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh means 'Protection of Islam, Bangladesh'.

A radical preacher with a huge following on social media, Izhar has been involved in anti-India activities in Bangladesh.

In 2021, a court in Chattogram put him on a nine-day remand in three cases over violence around the time of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bangladesh visit.

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Mufti Harun Izhar served as the education and cultural affairs secretary of the central committee of Hefazat-e-Islam.

He was arrested from Jamiyatul Ulum Al Islamia madrasa in Chattogram city on 29 April 2021.

What was US reaction when asked about Mufti Harun meeting Bangladeshi govt official?

The United States said it is aware of the interim government’s decision to ban the Awami League, but deflected the question on the official meeting Mufti Harun.

The US response came after a journalist asked how the State Department views the Bangladesh interim government’s ordinance banning the political activities of the country’s largest party, the Awami League.

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“We do not support any one political party in Bangladesh over another. We support a free and democratic process, as well as fair and transparent legal proceedings for all individuals. We urge all countries, including Bangladesh, to respect the freedoms of expression, peaceful assembly, and association for all,” said Tommy Pigott, Principal Deputy Spokesperson for the US State Department.

He was also asked about the Yunus government's fostering of radical ideologies and enabling terrorism, in the context of the alleged meeting between Nazrul and Harun Izhar.

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In reply, Pigott said,“We value our partnership with the people of Bangladesh spanning more than 50 years. We remain committed to deepening our partnership by working with the interim government. And I already commented on your other question there, but nothing further to add.”