Singapore cancels work permits of 2 Bangladeshis over extremist posts on social media

Singapore

Investigations by the Internal Security Department so far have not indicated that either man had plans to carry out a terrorist attack or had been involved in terrorism activities in Singapore.

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17 Jul 2026 04:07PM

SINGAPORE: The work permits of two Bangladeshi workers have been cancelled over extremist posts made on social media, the Internal Security Department (ISD) said on Friday (Jul 17).

In response to CNA's queries, ISD said that both men, Tayani Md Risad and Islam Sahedul, were repatriated to Bangladesh on Jul 8 following separate investigations earlier this month.

Risad had expressed support for Bangladeshi radical Islamist writer Shafiur Rahman Farabi, who has incited violence against secular and atheist bloggers, and is alleged to have links to Hizb ut-Tahrir, a fundamentalist Islamist group banned by the Bangladeshi government.

ISD said Sahedul had expressed divisive religious views, referring to Muslims who did not want to be governed under Shariah law as "kafir", or infidels.

"He has also made postings on the ongoing Israel-Iran war which are inflammatory in nature."

ISD noted that Risad and Sahedul were not linked to any previous self-radicalisation cases that had been dealt with under the Internal Security Act and announced by the department.

Investigations so far have not indicated that either man had plans to carry out a terrorist attack or had been involved in terrorism activities in Singapore.

"However, their extremist and divisive views are inimical to Singapore’s multi-racial and multi-religious society," said ISD.

According to Bangladeshi news outlets, Risad and Sahedul were detained at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka after being repatriated from Singapore last week and were later remanded over suspected militant links.

Source: CNA/nh(sn)