Improbable as it may sound, a silent jihadi revolution seems to have taken place in Bangladesh. Even before the bomb blasts of August 17, hundreds of cassettes of jihadi music used to be sold despite the surfeit of modern westernised band and concert music in the market. Many may find westernised musical instruments against the sharia and offensive to their religious sentiments, but these Islamic-based songs definitely have found a niche in the music mart.

Towards the mid-eighties Islami Chhatra Shibir’s cultural wing Spandan Shilpi Goshthi first initiated jihadi music. Then following the suicide bomb attacks in different parts of the country, these cassettes of jihadi music suddenly seemed to have vanished into thin air. However, a scrutiny into some 300 songs collected by PROBE, reveals that the main theme of the songs are the call for jihad by sacrificing one’s life. The lyrics make no bones about bloodshed, swords and arms. None of these songs are talking of jihad through knowledge or any other form of jihad, such as the battle against poverty, etc. The message is direct.

Most of the songs evolve around five main topics – 1. Jihad for freedom from social inequality. 2. Criticism against the leadership of Awami League, BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami. While the opposition against Jamaat is very mild the resentment against AL is very pronounced. 3. Deep respect for and profound confidence in Osama Bin Laden and Mollah Omar. 4. Deep hatred and resentment against the US, UK. There has been no mincing of words here. 5. Criticism of the bombing in the name of Islam. However, this criticism has been rather weak and not very precise.

One of the best-selling songs so far, as far as jihadi music is concerned, is Muhib Khan’s Simanta Khule Dao or ‘Open the borders’. This was produced by Sound Media at Purana Paltan. Muhib Khan, who also writes his lyrics, is often compared with Kazi Nazrul Islam, Farrukh and Iqbal. His songs call for sacrifice and urge listeners to become shahids or martyrs. One of his songs goes like this”, ‘Ore hath pete noy, jor kore aaj kere nao odhikar’, (Do not beg, snatch your rights). Another number of the album goes translates as “the roots of the country are neither in Washington nor Delhi, but in the soil of Arabia.” Another says, “We want to hoist a new flag for all the 12 crore Bangalis/The flag will carry the words Allahu Akbar in golden letters.”

Songs discard the election symbols of the boat, sheaf of rice, plough and scales. This lashes out at the respective parties of Awami League, BNP, Jatiya Party and Jamaat-e-Islami. Noticeably, along with Kashmir, Afghanistan and Palestine, the songs also call for jihad in the neighboring Arakan state of Myanmar. “There is no one to go to jihad” laments another song. A particular line of a song in this album also castigates the ‘Ehudi nasaras’ (the Jewish bigots).

In the 70s and 90s about two lakh Muslims took shelter in Bangladesh when they were driven away from their homes in Myanmar’s Arakan by that country’s military government. The military junta there reportedly creates all sorts of problems for the Muslims and hampers their religious activities. So Muhib Khan asks in yet another one of his songs, “Will Arakan continue to be in the darkness? It is time we set things right.” Another song in the album is written in downright praise of Laden: “Osama is in jihad and his aim is to free Baitul Moqaddas. He will not stop until his death.”

Another song very firmly supports madrassa education, claiming that madrassas once helped to drive away the British and it is by building madrassas that the freedom of Bangladesh can be secured. Another song says, “The pride of nuclear energy will be demolished by the roaring of the Momins” and prophesies are made that the flag of jihad will one day flutter on the soil of Russia, China, Japan and India. In an album titled ‘Inchi Inchi Mati’ (meaning: ‘every inch of the soil’) calls are made to spread jihad from Baghdad to Bangladesh.

There are large number of such cassettes in the market that quite explicitly call the youth and adolescents to take part in jihad and, in some cases, very implicitly though, to become suicide bombers. One such album titled Sahidi Tamanna has a song that goes: “Young, tender Shish Mohammad, how fortunate his friends are/Shish has sacrificed his life for the Quran.”

Spandon Studio Visual Centre at 335, 2/a Bara Moghbazar is owned by Islami Chhatra Shibir. One Spandan’s albums inspires listeners to embrace death to establish Islam. Another album titled ‘Uttal Taranga’ pays rich tribute to Hasan Banna and Syed Kutub. Banna is the founder of an Egypt-based Muslim brotherhood and Syed Kutub was an Islamic cleric who followed and promoted Banna’s ideology. During Naser’s regime, Syed Kutub was sentenced to death for his alleged involvement in a failed coup. All the 16 songs of the cassette are on jihad. One of songs goes: “Mother, I am going to a holy war. I will soak the dry desert with my blood. If I become a martyr, I will fly in the sky like a bird, happily.” One of the 17 jihadi songs selected by Spandan Shilpi Goshthi goes: “They have not broken Babri Mosque, they have broken the hearts of the Momins/There will be no forgiveness for Narshima, Advani and Jahanara Imam.”  Jahanara Imam led a popular movement and set up a people’s court to try the war criminals.

The clear message of the songs produced by Spandon is changing the society through violence. Interestingly Jamaat-e-Islami, their parent organization, talks about peaceful handover of power in line with the constitution.

Dak Diye Jai is another Spandon production. One of the songs says, “The dauntless soldiers move forward/Make the line of jihadis longer by bringing in those who have stood for the prayer.” In another song Abdul Matin and Shish Mohammad have been glorified in lofty language. It appears they have become martyrs.

Yet another cassette on recitation has been produced by Prattoy Products, 116 Naya Paltan Dhaka-1000. One of the poem reads, ‘As I talk about the Quran they call me a fundamentalist/ As I talk about jihad they call me a militant/ As I talk about purdah, they call me fatwabaz.’  Another poem laments that people are losing their iman or faith by watching television, VCR, music and dances etc. Another cassette titled ‘Ahaban’ calls for an Islamic constitution. These have been made in the name of Saikhul Hadith’s Islami Chhatra Majlish (ICM). “Saikhul Hadith’s eternal call is for raising a storm in the field of jihad. We do not accept democracy and socialism,” reads another poem.

Against the bombing

Another cassette that is full of praise for Saikhul Hadith, terms the bombings in the name of Islam as a conspiracy of the Jews. ICM Products, 55/B, Purana Paltan has released Bikiron Shilpi Goshthi’s ‘Open Sword’. Mentioning the first Islamic war, one of the songs says, “Whoever wants to go to Bangla’s badar, the Quran is beckoning you.” Instigative lyrics have been used in another song that says, “We will be Hazrat Abu Bakars and bury the Kadianis.”

Another song in the Open Sword album says, “The poet has ordered that Jews be driven out of Arabia/Then why have you made friends with them (Jews)?” “Bangladesh’s parliament is today filled with atheists/They are Muslims only in name, not in action,” says yet another.

Ranagan Shilpi Goshthi has produced the album titled Nakib which says, “Ignite your jihadi emotions and be prepared to shed blood.” Another goes. “Afghanistan today is in this condition as the people there embraced Allah’s laws.” Hinting at the Gujrat riots, one song goes: “A letter written by blood came yesterday from Gujrat/how long will you stay asleep/when terrorist Hindus are burning the Muslims?”

An election song goes like, “Drive the Indian allies away.” Sheikh Hasina and Awami League have been target of severe verbal assault in a number of songs. One runs like, “With the backing of ‘dada’, ‘bubu’ came to power after 21 years.” Indian intelligence agency RAW has also not been spared. Hinting at Hasina, another song says, “You are dancing as RAW wants you to and have sold your iman.”

Apart from songs and recitation, there are also cassettes of dramas made in a satire. Dialogues in one such drama goes like:

• “Sir, may I come in?
• Please do. What’s up?
• Sir, the work is complete.
• What do you mean by complete? Tell me if the mission is successful?
• Yes sir, successful. 7 killed and 20 injured.
• Good, very good, well done. Now let’s celebrate our success.”

In this drama criticism is targeted against those who claim that fundamentalists are responsible for all the bomb attacks from Udichi to Ramna.

In another cassette titled Sabdhan, produced by Islami Cassette Bitan, 49, Shahi Jame Masjid Market, Andarkilla, Chittagong, calls are made to take action against those involved in anti-Sharia activities. In another song, threats are issued that attacks will be made on the dens of Maizbhandari, Shah Abu Taher of Pakistan, Kadianis, Atrashir Pir, and Dewanbaghi Pir.

Ranagan Sangskritik Gosthi’s Abhijan claims America will be divided by the holy war led by Osama Bin Laden and its Rakta Sagar Periye cassette urges all to take up arms.

A cassette by Pratay Products titled Surer Michil written by Aynuddin Al Azad has been conceived in such a way that it can easily incite young minds. Shah Iftekar Tariq who has done the commentary says, “What is the use of being born a man if the power goes to women again and again?”

Significantly, the cassette seems to echo the same logic that JMB circulated in their leaflets. Explaining the reason behind targeting the courts JMB said they do not conduct trial following the Islamic rules. Surer Michil toes the same line: “If the Quran and Hadith are forbidden in the court, shouldn’t one sacrifice his life?”

The cover of Spandan Audio Visual Centre’s cassette titled Manzil, which is done by Mobashshir Majumdar, shows a red circle from where blood is dropping and forming a sun. The covers of the other albums are similarly associated with violence, bloodshed, weapons and war.

Sound Media at Shawon Tower has released Din Badaler Din Esheche. The lyrics and music are both done by Muhib Khan. Muhib sings, ‘Pay attention, listen/blood is raging in the veins.’ This is a call for change, a change through bloody jihad.

Muhib Khan

Muhib is from Kishoreganj. After completion of Dawra-e-Hadith from Kishoreganj’s Qawmi madrassa he also passed SSC and HSC as a private examinee. He got both his Honours and Masters in Political Science from Mirpur Bangla College. At present Muhib Khan is working as a Programme Executive at the Islamic TV channel owned by Syed Iskandar MP. His father Ataur Rahman Khan was a BNP MP during 1991-96 from Kishoreganj-3. His elder brother Obaidur Rahman Khan works in the editorial section of Inqilab.

Ainuddin Al Azad

Ainuddin comes from Jhenaidah. He passed Kamil from Barisal’s Sarshina and Dhaka Aliya Madrassa in Hadith. He did his Honours in Bangla literature from Jhenaidah KC College. He is now busy with his organisation and Kalorab, his production house, as well as organising concerts all over the country. He is also the training secretary of the Dhaka city unit of Islami Shashantantra Andolon.