In another example of the rise of extremism under state patronisation, Qawmi madrasa-based radical Islamist platform Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh has demanded that the interim government’s decision to appoint music teachers in all government primary schools across the country be revoked.
“The decision must be cancelled, and religious teachers must be appointed instead of music teachers. Otherwise, Hefazat-e-Islam will announce tougher programmes again,” warned Maulana Sajedur Rahman, secretary general of the platform.
He made the remarks this afternoon while addressing a national conference organised by the Shaykhul Hadith Parishad at the National Museum auditorium in Shahbagh, Dhaka.
The conference was chaired by Maulana Mahfuzul Haque, chief patron of the Shaykhul Hadith Parishad, while Hefazat’s chief Muhibbullah Babunagari attended as the chief guest.
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BNP Standing Committee Member Salahuddin Ahmed, NCP General Secretary Akhtar Hossain, Gono Odhikar Parishad General Secretary Rashed Khan, and Khelafat Majlis Secretary General Ahmed Abdul Kader also addressed the event.
Hefazat is a key ally of the interim government, as its teachers and students played a vital role in arson attacks and police killings last year. It has repeatedly described the government’s move as part of an “anti-Islam agenda.” Like-minded hardliners have also voiced concerns about the decision.
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Activists say that with the ban on the activities of the Awami League, the countryโs main secular force, and other social and cultural organisations silenced out of fear of being branded โfascist collaborators,โ Islamists have been given free rein to carry out mob attacks, under the banner of Touhidi Janata.
During the Awami Leagueโs tenure, the Islamist parties, including Jamaat and Hefazat, unleashed militants to slaughter secularist writers, Sufi leaders, non-Muslims, foreigners and the police, and also forced the government to revise the school textbooks, removing texts by secularists, Hindus and women.
Earlier, Hefazat, Jamaat-e-Islami, Islami Andolan Bangladesh and their allies protested the proposals of the Women Affairs Reform Commission and demanded action against its members. They also labelled the members as prostitutes and staged a symbolic protest at TSC by throwing shoes at an effigy of a woman.
All these parties have announced that they will establish Shariah law in Bangladesh once voted to power. On the other hand, militants have been calling for a jihad to establish Khilafah as the Yunus regime has released over 300 dangerous jihadists, including al-Qaeda cleric Jasimuddin Rahmani, from jail since August last year.
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