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Shafi Md Mostofa

Shafi Md Mostofa

Shafi Md Mostofa, Ph.D., is an associate professor of World Religions and Culture at the University of Dhaka and a post-doctoral research fellow of the Democracy Institute at the Central European University, Hungary.

He is a theologian and security studies scholar with broad interests in political Islam, authoritarianism, modern South Asian history and politics, and international relations and the clash of civilizations. He has published extensively with Routledge, Springer, Cambridge University Press, Oxford University Press, SAGE, and Wiley and Blackwell; and the journals: Politics and Religion, Politics and Policy, Perspectives on Terrorism, Asian and African Studies, and Peace and Conflict Review. His sole authored book published from Palgrave Macmillan in 2021 on “Islamist Militancy in Bangladesh: A Pyramid Root Cause Model.”

Mostofa did his Ph.D. from the University of New England, Australia in 2020 with IPRA scholarship. He was awarded a Gold Medal by the President of Bangladesh for topping the MA examination in 2012 from the University of Dhaka. He contributes articles on Bangladeshi politics, religion, minority rights, human rights, and secularism.

Posts by Shafi Md Mostofa
November 09, 2024

Hasina’s Failed Pursuit of the China Model 

By Shafi Md Mostofa
The ousted Bangladeshi prime minister failed to replicate China’s success for two critical reasons: ideological disconnect and economic decline.

November 02, 2024

The Repression of Muslim Identity and the Rise of Conservative Islam in Bangladesh

By Shafi Md Mostofa
The imposition of secularism by the ruling elites catalyzed a conservative backlash that has continued to shape the religious and political landscape of the country since independence.
October 23, 2024

The Fall of Secular Bengali Nationalism

By Shafi Md Mostofa
Post-revolution Bangladesh is undergoing a decisive ideological shift away from the secularism that has defined much of its post-independence narrative.

October 15, 2024

Can the Interim Government Ensure Justice and Bring Radical Changes in Bangladesh?

By Shafi Md Mostofa
One of the primary reasons for skepticism lies in the historical context of governance in Bangladesh.

October 03, 2024

The Fall of Sheikh Hasina and the Potential Rise of a Radical Political Pariah in Bangladesh

By Shafi Md Mostofa
Hasina’s Awami League has already been ousted from mainstream politics. Will it end up on the path toward violent extremism and strategic marginalization?

September 12, 2024

Breaking the Sacred: How a Student-Led Revolution Ended Hasina’s Authoritarian Rule

By Shafi Md Mostofa
By dismantling the regime’s sacrosanct narratives – of both the Hasina family and the War of Independence – students directly challenged the foundation of her authoritarianism. 
March 23, 2023

Once Again, Teesta River Issue Roils Bangladesh-India Relations

By Shafi Md Mostofa
India is planning two additional canals that will draw water from the transboundary river, impacting water flows to Bangladesh.

March 07, 2023

Is Hindutva Justifying al-Qaida’s Ghazwa-e-Hind Narrative?

By Shafi Md Mostofa
The jihadist group is attacking Hindutva aggression in India in its publications.

February 23, 2023

Bangladesh Calls for Revision of Power Purchasing Deal With Adani

By Shafi Md Mostofa
New Delhi has distanced itself from a controversial and unequal deal between Adani Power and the Bangladesh Power Development Board.

February 03, 2023

Bangladesh Reels Under Economic Crisis and Political Unrest

By Shafi Md Mostofa
Dhaka has received little help from its development partners who are busy waging their geopolitical battles in the country.

January 24, 2023

Big Powers Battle for Influence in Bangladesh

By Shafi Md Mostofa
The South Asian country is being courted by the U.S., Russia, and China among others, and officials are making a beeline to Dhaka.
January 04, 2023

Rohingya Refugees in Bangladesh: Boon or Bane?

By Shafi Md Mostofa
Crime has risen as have unemployment and prices. But rehabilitation work among refugees has provided locals with jobs in NGOs.

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