The Global Center for Democratic Governance (GCDG), a Canada-based research and advocacy organization, has publicly commended the Canadian government for its decision to deny visit visas to senior leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh, a group long associated with war crimes and extremist activities.
In a formal letter dated November 4, 2025, addressed to the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, GCDG’s Executive Director, Md. Golam Kibria Talukder, praised Canada’s “principled commitment to defending democracy, secularism and human rights against ideologies that promote division, extremism, and intolerance.”
The organization urged Ottawa to continue its current policy, warning that Jamaat and its affiliates may attempt to use Canada’s openness and democratic institutions to “exploit diaspora networks for radical political purposes.”
Historical Context: Jamaat’s Legacy of Violence
Jamaat-e-Islami’s history in Bangladesh remains deeply controversial. During the 1971 Liberation War, the party opposed Bangladesh’s independence and actively collaborated with the Pakistani military in atrocities that led to the deaths of millions and the systematic targeting of intellectuals.
Following decades of investigation, Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) convicted multiple Jamaat leaders—including Abdul Quader Molla, Motiur Rahman Nizami, and Ali Ahsan Mujahid—on charges of genocide, rape, and crimes against humanity. The Supreme Court of Bangladesh later banned Jamaat as a political party, ruling that its constitution violated the nation’s secular and democratic principles.
Despite the ban, GCDG notes, Jamaat continues to operate globally under new identities, particularly across diaspora communities in North America and Europe. Many of these groups, the letter cautions, present themselves as cultural or religious organizations while promoting political narratives that “distort the history of Bangladesh’s liberation, reject secular democratic governance, and propagate Sharia-based ideology.”
Canada’s Moral Responsibility and Global Leadership
GCDG’s statement positions Canada’s decision as part of a broader defense of global democratic values. It argues that allowing known extremist figures entry into Canada would “undermine Canada’s longstanding reputation as a defender of pluralism, tolerance, and democratic integrity.”
“Permitting their entry,” the letter reads, “would risk enabling the propagation of extremist narratives within diaspora circles.”
GCDG further emphasized that Canada, as a global peacebuilder and advocate for human rights, has both a moral and strategic obligation to prevent extremist groups from exploiting its freedoms to advance regressive ideologies.
A Call for Continued Vigilance
The organization’s appeal to the Minister was clear: maintain and strengthen the policy of visa denial to Jamaat-e-Islami affiliates as part of Canada’s broader counter-extremism strategy. “We strongly recommend that this policy be maintained to safeguard the social cohesion that defines Canadian society,” wrote Talukder.
Experts on South Asian extremism have echoed GCDG’s position, noting that Jamaat-linked organizations have historically sought influence in Western policy circles by reframing their activities as “religious advocacy” or “community engagement.”
In recent years, Canadian authorities have tightened monitoring of foreign political organizations suspected of laundering extremist ideologies through diaspora fronts. GCDG’s letter reinforces that such vigilance must continue—not only to protect Canada’s internal security but also to uphold its credibility as a defender of democracy worldwide.
Protecting Secularism and Pluralism
Founded in Nova Scotia, GCDG is a non-partisan think tank dedicated to promoting democratic governance, secularism, and pluralism in South Asia and beyond. Its leadership includes academics, policy professionals, and human rights advocates committed to countering the global spread of religious extremism and disinformation.
“The GCDG’s commendation of Ottawa’s action sends a powerful message,” said a political analyst based in Toronto. “It reaffirms Canada’s role as a country that prioritizes moral clarity over political convenience.”
View GCDG’s Letter to Canada (PDF)
As South Asia grapples with renewed ideological polarization, Canada’s stance—backed by civil-society voices like GCDG—could set a precedent for Western democracies confronting the resurgence of Islamist extremism in global diaspora networks.
For now, GCDG’s message is unambiguous: democracy and intolerance cannot coexist, and vigilance against extremism must remain an enduring pillar of Canadian foreign policy.
