Won’t tolerate closing Qawmi madrasas in the name of lockdown: Babunagari

Qawmi madrasa-based organisation Hefajat-e-Islam announced today that it will convene Ulama-Mashayek conference on May 29 at Hathazari upazila of Chattogram.

Juanyed Babunagari, Amir of Hefajat-e-Islam, announced the date from a press conference at Hathazari Madrasa, where he also urged the government to stop "mass arrests and harassment" of Hefajat activists and supporters. 

Babunagari warned the government not to put any restriction in holding Tarabi prayers at mosques during Ramadan on the pretext of coronavirus. They will not put up with any decision to close Qawmi madrasas in the name of lockdown, he said, reports our Chattogram staff correspondent.

"The congregation for Tarabi prayers, qawmi madrasas and mosques must be kept out of the purview of lockdown. Religious people will not tolerate any move to close qawmi madrasas with the excuse of coronavirus, he said.

He also suggested religious rituals including recital of Quran and prayers be performed to get rid of the virus, terming it is the responsibility of the government to keep institutions that study the Quran and Hadith open to get divine help.

He also asked the government to reveal the identity of those who carried out mayhem in various parts of the country during Hefajat's "peaceful" daylong hartal.

"There are lots of CCTV footage which can help government identify real culprits behind such incidents," Babunagari said.

Referring to the recent developments involving Mamunul Haque, joint general secretary of Hefajat-e-Islam, Babunagari said it is his "personal matter". No one will be suspended from Hefajat, he said.

Claiming Chhatra League and Jubo League behind the mayhem, he said the student and youth wings of Awami League attacked and set fire to various structures to blame Hefajat.

"Hefajat did not declare any programme on March 26. When aggrieved people came out on the streets to protest the attack on innocent people at Baitul Mukarram mosque, police killed five people on March 26. When Hefajat declared programme on March 27 and 28, police killed 21 people," he claimed.