Leaders of Ulama Mashayekh Bangladesh today issued a nine-point demand, including a call to officially declare Qadianis as non-Muslims and to prohibit pro-Saad factions within Tabligh Jamaat from participating in Ijtema activities.
Maulana Mahfuzul Haque, Secretary General of the Bangladesh Qawmi Madrasah Education Board, read the declaration at a rally held at Suhrawardy Udyan in the capital.He announced that the next Biswa Ijtema would be held in two phases, with the first phase starting from January 31 and ending on February 2, and the second phase between February 7 and 9.
Reading out a written statement, Mahfuzul said that religious education should be made mandatory at all levels of the general education syllabus and demanded the withdrawal of fabricated cases against religious scholars filed by previous governments.
Mahfuzul also urged the interim government to prevent Maulana Saad Kandhalvi, a leader of the Tabligh Jamaat's pro-Saad faction, from entering Bangladesh.
Addressing past incidents, he demanded a trial for the "2013 Shapla Chattar massacre".
"On December 1, 2018, madrasa students and teachers preparing for the Ijtema in Tongi Maidan were allegedly attacked by Sadapanti [pro-Saad supporters] with the assistance of certain police officers. We demanded exemplary punishment in this regard."
"All activities at Kakrail Mosque and Tongi Biswa Ijtema Maidan will be conducted under the oversight of Ulamae Keram [religious scholars]," he added.
Khatme Nabuwat Protection Committee Bangladesh's Amir, Mawlana Abdul Hamid, said, "It is not right to heed the demands of Saad supporters. If you listen to them, you also have to escape like Hasina."
"There is no prophet after the Prophet (PBUH) and we expect this law to be passed in Parliament," he added.
Hefazat-e-Islam Secretary General Sajedur Rahman said that cooperation from religious scholars would be continued, but "Ulama's decision is final in religious matters."
source: daily star
