Sources (both from AFP): http://news.yahoo.com/bangladesh-checks-mosques-push-anti-militant-message-160510084.html



http://khabarsouthasia.com/en_GB/articles/apwi/articles/newsbriefs/2012/08/09/newsbrief-02




DHAKA: Bangladesh has started monitoring the weekly sermons of the country's mosques to ensure clerics follow formal guidelines on highlighting the dangers of Islamic militancy, an official said yesterday.



The government distributed guidelines to more than 200,000 mosques several months ago, Shamim Mohammed Afzal, head of the government's Islamic Foundation, said.



"We have set up an anti-militancy cell at the Islamic Foundation. Every week our officials monitor at least 10 mosques in Dhaka to see whether the clerics speak about militancy in their Friday sermons," he said.



Other government agencies were monitoring the rest of the country, he added.



The government's elite security agencies had a crackdown on militant outfits in 2006-2007, arresting more than 1,000 people. Six prominent leaders of a banned group were hanged in 2007.



Afzal said the guidelines had already had an impact with "fewer processions or meetings" by Islamist outfits in past months.



"We've convinced the clerics and Islamic teachers about the danger of militancy. They now speak against 'Maududi philosophy', which has harmed Islam in the sub-continent," he said.



Abul Ala Maududi, who died in 1979, was an Islamic revivalist leader who founded the Jamaat-e-Islami party, whose Bangladesh offshoot is the country's largest Islamic political grouping.







Why Now?



It is plainly clear why they have decided to implement these directives at this crucial time. Recently, one of the worlds most oppressed ethnic groups: The Rohingya's, a traditionally muslim people have been under increased tyranny (some argue that it is a Genocide) from the Buddhist Government of Burma.



After the news of this, rumours quickly started spreading on Facebook that 500 Mujahideen were waiting for orders to cross over the border to help their brothers. Meanwhile, the 'muslm' armies of Bangladesh and Pakistan would not dare to cross into Burma.



“Burmese security forces failed to protect the Arakan and Rohingya from each other and then unleashed a campaign of violence and mass roundups against the Rohingya,” said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch.



Additionally, the Pakistanni Taliban also made threats against Burma. This has presented a huge 'Champion of the People' recruitment opportunity for Islamic jihad networks inside Pakistan and Bangladesh.



Meanwhile, a religious divide is present in Bangladesh between Sunni Islamic groups and the ruling Sufi 'school' of islam. Sufi'ism, due to it's misinterpretation of islam often embraces western philosophies, aid and diplomatic ties due to the threats the government power structure face from Sunni muslims; who would be more inclined to belong to a single islamic nation (or caliphate).



Currently Bangladesh suffers from poverty (to the extent that prostitution is legal because it is considered a means of livelhood) and corruption whilst the leaders ensure their opponents are dealt with via British trained death-squads(Wikileads). The failure to react to the Burmese attrocities show the weakness of the nations of Pakistan and Bangladesh and present a big recruitment opportunity for Islamic militants.



You can expect interesting news to come from Bangladesh in the coming years.