In a recent post, Press Secretary Shafiqur Alam asserted that Islamic extremism has never seen a significant rise in Bangladesh — and there is no indication that it will in the future. He criticized some Western journalists for drawing unfounded parallels between Bangladesh and conflict-ridden nations like Afghanistan, Pakistan, or Syria due to a lack of nuanced understanding of Bangladeshi society. Highlighting key incidents — such as the 1994 exile of Taslima Nasrin, the 2004 attack on author Humayun Azad, the 2005 nationwide bombings, and the rise of Bangla Bhai — he emphasized that despite these, no widespread resurgence of Islamist extremism has taken place. Between 2013 and 2016, Bangladesh faced a spate of targeted attacks on atheist bloggers, secular and LGBTQ activists, and even foreign nationals — nearly 20 lives were lost. Yet, society at large remained largely resilient and unchanged. Alam, who admits to once falling into the same narrative trap, stressed that the social and familial diversity of Bangladesh serves as a strong defense against extremism. “This diversity,” he said, “will keep Bangladesh from straying down the wrong path.”