Mediatization, Social Media, and Islamization: Exploring the Nexus of Influence and Violence in Contemporary Bangladesh Politics

Abstract

Internet technology probably contains one of the most important discoveries of the contemporary era. Additionally, it is now undeniably evident that individuals are increasingly using social media platforms as their main mode of communication in day-to-day life. The phenomena of Islamization through the Internet and social media has seen a noteworthy upsurge in the current period of fast modernization, principally driven by the ubiquitous effect of mediatization. This effect may be seen not just in Bangladesh’s religious landscape but also in its political system. Religion’s influence on social media is startlingly similar to how it is used as a powerful factor in Bangladesh’s political dynamics. It is crucial to recognize that the procedure of islamization through digital platforms has also contributed to the spread of violence, which has primarily taken the form of targeted assaults on minority groups and those who support free-thinking beliefs. Further, it is crucial to take into account the elements at the national level that have influenced the disturbing trend of using social media as a weapon to incite violence. In order to promote the continuation of violence through digital channels, Islamist extremist organizations have carefully constructed these crucial elements, which are examined in this study. Additionally, this study seeks to bring the alarming trend of Islamist extremist groups blending politics and religion with ease while leveraging the potent mediatization power to instigate violence. This study seeks to clarify the methods used by these organizations to influence digital platforms for their evil ends through a number of thoroughly considered case studies. In the end, this essay makes the claim that political parties and Islamic extremist groups have a complicated and interconnected relationship, a dynamic that not only fosters but also promotes the inciting of violence through the strategic use of social media and digital communication channels.