A heated exchange on a YouTube talk show has sparked controversy after Barrister A.S.M. Shahriar Kabir, Secretary General of the Center for Civil Rights and a Supreme Court lawyer, publicly labeled Dr. Zahed Ur Rahman as an “atheist.”
The program, titled “Signs of New Polarization in Politics?” aired on September 11 on the channel Thikana with Khaled Mohiuddin. Participants included political analyst and member of the Electoral Reform Commission Dr. Zahed Ur Rahman, Barrister A.S.M. Shahriar Kabir, and former NCP organizer Major (Retd.) Abdullah Al Mahmud.
During the discussion, Shahriar Kabir branded Dr. Zahed — widely recognized as a BNP-leaning analyst — as “atheist” and even urged him to “embrace faith.” The remark, delivered with mocking laughter, immediately drew criticism for being a dangerous form of character assassination.
A Dangerous Tag in Bangladesh
Observers warn that in Bangladesh’s volatile climate, branding someone “atheist” is not merely an insult but a life-threatening stigma. In the past decade, several bloggers and freethinkers have been murdered after being labeled “atheist” or “enemy of Islam.” Critics argue that Islamist groups, particularly Jamaat-e-Islami and its affiliates, have routinely used such labels against opponents who challenge their ideology.
Civil society voices point out that Jamaat has long weaponized religious identity to silence dissent — tagging critics as atheist, anti-Islamic, Shahbaghi, or worse. Commentators on social media highlighted the hypocrisy of leaders who preach piety but are frequently implicated in extortion, violence, and corruption.
Analysts fear that if such practices continue, political debate will be reduced to religious labeling rather than substantive issues of governance, rights, and democracy.
