Indian-born Islamic preacher Zakir Naik will not be visiting Dhaka for the time being as the Ministry of Home Affairs has decided not to grant him entry into Bangladesh at this stage.
The decision was made on Tuesday at a meeting of the core committee on law and order, held at the ministry’s conference room in the Secretariat.
According to ministry sources, Zakir Naik had been invited by an organisation to visit Bangladesh on 28 and 29 November for a two-day programme, which also included plans to take him outside Dhaka.
Amid growing discussion over his planned visit, the ministry decided not to permit his entry for now.
During the meeting, officials said his presence would likely draw massive crowds, requiring a substantial deployment of law enforcement personnel. The meeting noted that it is currently not feasible to allocate such a large number of officers to one place.
It was decided that Zakir Naik may be allowed to visit Bangladesh only after the upcoming national election.
Zakir Naik was banned by the Indian government in 2016 for allegedly inciting extremist activities and delivering hate speeches following the Holey Artisan Bakery attack in Dhaka.
He is currently residing in Malaysia, where the government has granted him permanent residency in Putrajaya.
