When Israeli Ambassador to India Reuven Azar reportedly alleged that Hamas-linked activity is taking place in Pakistan and Bangladesh, many people in South Asia may have treated it as another diplomatic warning from the Middle East. But Bangladesh should not ignore it.

Bangladesh is not in the Middle East. It has no border with Israel. It has no direct role in the Gaza war. Yet Middle Eastern conflicts have long entered Bangladeshi politics through mosques, political slogans, street protests, social media campaigns, and religious mobilization.

That is why Israel’s concern deserves attention.

This issue is not only about whether Hamas has a formal network in Bangladesh. That question requires evidence and careful intelligence work. The bigger public question is whether Bangladesh is becoming a place where Hamas-style narratives, anti-Israel rhetoric, anti-India politics, and Islamist street pressure can overlap.

That overlap is dangerous for Israel. It is also dangerous for Bangladesh.

Bangladesh has a long history of sympathy for the Palestinian people. Many ordinary Bangladeshis feel deep emotion when they see Palestinian civilians suffering. That sympathy should not be dismissed. Supporting Palestinian civilians is a humanitarian position. It is not the same as supporting Hamas.

But in today’s political climate, that difference is often blurred. Palestine is no longer discussed only as a humanitarian issue. In many Islamist circles, it becomes a religious identity issue. Israel is not criticised only as a state or government. It is often described as a permanent enemy of Muslims.

That language matters.

When Israel is framed as the eternal enemy of Muslims, political disagreement becomes religious hostility. When a foreign conflict is turned into a test of Islamic loyalty, local politics becomes more dangerous. People are no longer asked to think about policy, war, civilians, diplomacy, or terrorism. They are asked to choose a religious side.

This is the environment in which Hamas narratives can travel beyond Gaza.

A recent example of........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)