Indian Islamic scholar Dr Zakir Naik has announced that Peace TV Bangla is set to resume broadcasting in Bangladesh, pending approval from the interim government.
The channel’s broadcast was halted following the July 2016 attack on the Holy Artisan Bakery in Dhaka, where it was alleged that one of the attackers was inspired by Dr Naik.
This incident led to an investigation in India and the subsequent suspension of Peace TV’s broadcast in both Bangladesh and India.
During a Q&A session on his YouTube channel, Dr Naik explained that while Peace TV continues to broadcast via satellite in Bangla, English, Urdu, and Chinese, cable operators in Bangladesh have ceased airing the channel due to the suspension of its downlink permissions.
Dr Naik, who has been living in exile in Malaysia for over seven years, stated that efforts to resume the channel’s broadcast in Bangladesh are ongoing.
An application has been submitted, and if approved, Peace TV Bangla could be back on air within days or weeks.Dr. Zakir has been evading Indian authorities since 2016, when charges were filed against him for allegedly making hate speeches and laundering money following a militant attack at a bakery in Dhaka, Bangladesh, which resulted in 29 deaths.
The Islamic preacher escaped to Malaysia, where he was granted asylum by the government under Mahathir Mohamad. His potential extradition to India remains a contentious issue between Putrajaya and New Delhi.
In June 2019, India’s Ministry of External Affairs stated that the Indian government had formally requested Malaysia to extradite Dr. Zakir and would continue to pursue the matter. Additionally, a court in India had ordered him to appear there in June 2019.
He is currently believed to be residing in Putrajaya after receiving asylum in 2018.
Recently, Malaysia’s current Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim reportedly indicated that the country would consider India’s request for Dr. Zakir Naik’s extradition if sufficient evidence of his extremism is provided.
