The radical Islamist Enayetullah Abbasi is now a close ally of the BNP government. Earlier, he received patronage from the Yunus-led interim government. For more than two decades, Abbasi has remained in the news for travelling to mahfils by helicopter, cases involving railway land, multiple legal allegations linked to his speeches, and religious and political remarks. The latest comment about “beating journalists like dogs” is a fresh addition to the list of his controversial statements.
- 2018: 180,000 Taka for one hour of waz
To attend as the chief speaker at the annual waz mahfil of Shalmara Dakhil Madrasa in Singra, Natore, Enayetullah Abbasi travelled by helicopter. According to a Jagonews24 report, he was paid 100,000 Taka as the chief speaker and another 80,000 Taka for the helicopter rent, for a total of 180,000 Taka. Other speakers at the same mahfil received honorariums of 5,000 to 20,000 Taka. - 2019: Case over alleged occupation of railway land
On 27 July 2019, Md. Iqbal Mahmud, Kanungo of the Dhaka Divisional Estate Office of Bangladesh Railway, filed a case at Siddhirganj Police Station against Abbasi and his two brothers, Obaidullah and Neyamatullah. The allegation was that railway land beside the Hajiganj level crossing in Siddhirganj, Narayanganj, was being filled with soil and semi-pucca structures were being built. There were also earlier allegations of constructing tin-shed markets on the same land. - 2019: Case under the Digital Security Act for calling someone an “ally of Qadianis”
Businessman Kazi Imrul Kayes complained that Abbasi called him an “ally of Qadianis” during a waz mahfil speech that later spread on social media. CID submitted a charge sheet in the case in February 2021. - 2021: Failure to attend Sunamganj mahfil
Abbasi was scheduled to be the chief speaker at a waz mahfil on 29 December 2021 in Dwiner Tuk village, Dowarabazar Upazila, Sunamganj. According to a Crime Sylhet report, the organisers had paid the helicopter rent in advance, but he did not attend, citing helicopter problems. The organisers said the event collapsed because of his absence and they faced local embarrassment. His associate reportedly promised to return the money. - 2024: Absent from Ukhiya mahfil despite taking four lakh taka
Abbasi was due to speak as chief speaker at a mahfil in Typealong village, Ukhiya, Cox’s Bazar. According to a Desh Rupantor report, organisers paid three lakh taka in advance and another one lakh on the day of the event. He did not go, citing weather that prevented the helicopter from flying. The report stated that the four lakh taka was later returned. - 2003: Name appears in case involving the Ahmadiyya community
In 2003, media reported that Abbasi’s name appeared in a police case related to tension and attacks around an Ahmadiyya mosque in Tejgaon, Dhaka. At the time, the Khatme Nubuwwat movement was actively demanding that Ahmadis be declared non-Muslims. - 2004: Demand for eviction of Ahmadis and threat to paralyse the city
A Daily Star report of 9 October 2004 stated that police were deployed in Narayanganj to stop attempts to seize an Ahmadiyya mosque. Speaking as a Khatme Nubuwwat leader, Abbasi threatened that if the authorities did not remove Ahmadis from the mosque and declare them non-Muslims, he would bring the entire port city to a standstill. The report also said he issued warnings of retaliation against supporters of Ahmadis. - 2005: Threat to remove the BNP-Jamaat government from power
In 2005, reports appeared about threats to oust the then BNP-Jamaat government if the demands of the Khatme Nubuwwat movement were not met. At the time, Abbasi was identified as the central Naib-e-Amir of the organisation. - 2019: Younger brother arrested
In 2019, Abbasi’s younger brother Neyamatullah Abbasi was arrested in a case of attack, vandalism and looting at a garment factory in Siddhirganj, according to media reports. The case was filed against his brother. - 2021: Allegations of praising Al-Qaeda and supporting the killers of Avijit Roy
In May 2021, Dr. M.A. Samad, General Secretary of the Communist Party (Marxist), filed a case under the Digital Security Act against Abbasi. Samad alleged that Abbasi described Al-Qaeda as an organisation working to protect Islam, said it would operate in Bangladesh, and demanded the release of those sentenced to death in the Avijit Roy murder case. He further claimed that Abbasi called the killers “mujahideen” and that his speech encouraged people to take the law into their own hands. - 2022: Case for calling freedom fighters “terrorists”
On 14 May 2022, Abbasi took part in a discussion titled “Analysis of Allegations Against 116 Alims” on the YouTube channel Face the People. He said: “Is terrorism a bad thing? Who said terrorism is a bad thing? Fighter jet! Is that a terrorist plane? The word jangi comes from ‘jang’. In Persian, jang means war, fight. Therefore, the freedom fighters are also terrorists in a sense.” - 2023: Criticism by international human rights organisations
In a joint statement, the International Human Rights Committee (IHRC) and Forum for Religious Freedom–Europe (FOREF) demanded investigation and legal action over Abbasi’s speeches. They alleged that his remarks contained hate speech against Ahmadis, Hindus, Christians, and secular writers and bloggers. - 2024: Hardline stance on the religious identity of the Ahmadiyya community
While speaking on the creed of Khatme Nubuwwat, Abbasi has repeatedly taken positions denying the religious identity of the Ahmadiyya community, according to media reports. The demand to declare Ahmadis non-Muslims has long been a controversial feature of his speeches and organisational activities. - 2025: Controversy involving “murtad” and Mizanur Rahman Azhari
In 2025, a video of Abbasi explaining why he called Mizanur Rahman Azhari a “kafir” circulated and drew media attention. At the same time, his remarks on “murtad” (apostasy) and punishment under religious law also sparked controversy. - 2025: Warning of armed revolution if 13-point demands not met
At a Hefazat-e-Islam rally at Shapla Chattar in Dhaka on 21 February, Abbasi said that if the 13-point demands were not fulfilled, another revolution could occur and it could even be armed, according to a Daily Star report. - 2026: Allegation of threat regarding Hindus in Bangladesh in the context of Muslims in West Bengal
In May 2026, a video of Abbasi’s speech drew attention in Indian media. He was accused of saying that if the safety of Muslims in West Bengal is disrupted, Hindus in Bangladesh will not be able to live safely either. Multiple reports were published about the statement. - 19 October 2026: Remark about “beating journalists like dogs”
At the annual waz and doa mahfil of Nishchintapur Hafizia Madrasa in Matlab Uttar Upazila, Chandpur, Abbasi praised Ishraq Hossain’s intention in an anti-drug operation but criticised the method, including the pointing of a pistol. He then told journalists: “The worst things in Bangladesh are the journalists. These need to be beaten like dogs.” He complained that journalists reported on the method of the operation rather than its positive aspects. The remark was published in the media on 20 October. - 2021: Questions about doctorate degree
Articles published in Praner ’71 and Sunni Fighter in January 2021 raised questions about Abbasi’s “Dr.” title and doctorate. They objected to the claimed link of his thesis to Lucknow University and his higher education at Nadwatul Ulama, particularly the thesis titled “Musannafat Ibne Zakaria Fillugatil Arabia, Lukhnow University” and the institutional basis of the degree. - Abbasi’s response to questions about the doctorate
On 26 December 2020, a video was released on Abbasi TV’s YouTube channel in which he responded to journalists’ questions about where he obtained his doctorate. The controversy over the degree spread further in 2021.
(Original post by activist Jafar Iqbal)