Australia cancels Azhari’s visa, orders deportation

The government of Australia has cancelled the visa of Bangladeshi preacher Mizanur Rahman Azhari and ordered him to leave the country, according to a report published on Wednesday.

The report said Azhari had travelled to Australia as part of his “Legacy of Faith” lecture series, with scheduled events in Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney and Canberra.

Authorities cancelled his visa on Tuesday while he was on tour, and he now awaits deportation.

Earlier, the United Kingdom barred him from entry and restricted his public religious gatherings in Bangladesh.

Jonathan Duniam said several groups had alerted him and other lawmakers about Azhari’s visit. He told the Senate that organisations, including the Australian Federation for Ethnic and Religious Minorities based in Bangladesh, had raised concerns.

According to the report, Azhari had made controversial remarks during a discussion in the United States in 2023, where he praised Adolf Hitler and made antisemitic comments.

The report also cited allegations that he described Jewish people in derogatory terms and made inflammatory claims linking them to global issues.

Azhari began his Australia tour with a lecture in Brisbane on Monday night. He had planned further events in Melbourne on 3 April, Sydney on 4 April and Canberra on 6 April.

Duniam told the Senate that authorities in several countries had previously raised concerns about the preacher over allegations of spreading hate speech.

He also referred to the UK’s decision in 2021 to deny Azhari entry over similar concerns.