Hefazat presents 9 demands to the Prime Minister

Photo: Collected

News Desk: Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh has placed nine demands before Prime Minister Tareque Rahman, including the enactment of a law prescribing the severest punishment for insulting Almighty Allah, the Prophet (PBUH), the Holy Quran and Islam, and not enacting any law that conflicts with the Quran and Sunnah.

The demands were submitted in writing on behalf of Hefazat during a meeting with Prime Minister Tareque Rahman at the historic Al-Jamiatul Islamia Babunagari Madrasa in Fatikchhari, Chattogram, on Sunday (August 9) afternoon.

Those present at the meeting included Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed, State Minister for Land and Chattogram Hill Tracts Affairs Mir Mohammad Helal, local Member of Parliament Sarwar Alamgir, and Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh Secretary General Maulana Sajidur Rahman.

The written demands, signed by Hefazat Secretary General Muhammad Sajedur Rahman, first called for the enactment of a law in the National Parliament prescribing the severest punishment for insulting Almighty Allah, the Prophet (PBUH), the Holy Quran and Islam. At the same time, it called for refraining from enacting any law that conflicts with the Quran and Sunnah.

The demands included ensuring exemplary punishment for those involved in the brutal massacre allegedly carried out under cover of darkness at Shapla Chattar on May 5, 2013. At the same time, it called for establishing justice in Bangladesh by ensuring the trial of those involved in the anti-Modi movement in 2021 and the killings during July-August 2024, including those accused of giving orders and the perpetrators of the killings.

Hefazat demanded that the recognition of Qawmi madrasas' Dawra-e-Hadith as equivalent to a master's degree be implemented, opening avenues for employment and higher education for students at home and abroad. In particular, it demanded that government job circulars for religious teachers mention the master's-equivalent Dawra-e-Hadith degree from Qawmi madrasas alongside degrees from government madrasas as an educational qualification.

The organization also demanded that Islamic religious education be made compulsory for Muslim students from the primary level through the higher secondary level.

In addition, it demanded that the Ahmadiyya community be declared non-Muslim and that Hizb ut-Tahrir be banned. Its written demands also called for an end to the alleged conspiracies and activities of domestic and foreign missionaries concerning the Chattogram Hill Tracts. Hefazat also demanded the withdrawal of false cases filed against religious scholars during the Awami League-led government and called for the country's ulema and religious scholars to be made partners in state reconstruction.

Finally, regarding Tabligh Jamaat and the Biswa Ijtema, Hefazat stated that the activities of Tabligh Jamaat in Bangladesh and the Biswa Ijtema in Tongi have traditionally been conducted under the supervision of the ulema. Alongside maintaining the ban on the entry of India's controversial Maulana Saad into Bangladesh, it demanded that Saad followers not be permitted to hold an Ijtema at the Tongi grounds.

The meeting between Prime Minister Tareque Rahman and senior scholars of Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh began at 4:00 pm on Sunday at the Babunagari Madrasa premises. The meeting was chaired by Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh Amir Allama Shah Muhibullah Babunagari. Around 70 prominent scholars from different parts of the country participated in the meeting.