Tawhidi Janata's Rise: Threat to Bengali Nationalism in Bangladesh?

• The 'Tawhidi Janata' movement is reshaping Bangladesh's social fabric, operating as a popular current rather than traditional extremism.
• It targets 'un-Islamic' social conduct, influencing public spaces and cultural activities through moral pressure.
• Sheikh Hasina's Awami League government had previously contained Islamic politics for 16 years through secular Bengali nationalism and a strong security framework.
• After Hasina's August 2024 departure, a power vacuum allowed 'Tawhidi Janata' to emerge as a guardian of social morality.
• The movement, a loose collection of groups, engages in 'moral policing' and has been linked to incidents of violence.

Why It Matters: The rise of 'Tawhidi Janata' in Bangladesh challenges secular Bengali nationalism, filling a post-Hasina power vacuum.