No atheist can live in this country; people from any religion can as it is a democratic country, says Shafi
Shah Ahmed Shafi, the chief of radical Islamist platform Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh, yesterday said the persons who do not believe in Almighty Allah would not be allowed to live in Bangladesh.
“We are Muslims. We have no conflict with anybody. But the persons, who are living in the country of Allah, and taking different facilities from Him, cannot live in His country,” Shafi said at a two-day Islamic Conference at Laldighi ground in the port city.
“We have no conflict with [Prime Minister] Sheikh Hasina, Awami League, Bangladesh Chhatra League and others. They are our friends. If we become good human beings then the country will become Sonar Bangla. We have to become good people to live in the country peacefully,” he added.
Some 12 of the platform’s central leaders out of 24 who are accused in 42 cases filed with different police stations of Dhaka and Chittagong also attended the programme, organised by Hefazat. The leaders include Secretary General Junaid Babunagari and Organising Secretary Azizul Haq Islamabadi.
Police, however, did not arrest them since they were on bail, Inspector (investigation) Nezam Uddin of Kotwali police station told the Dhaka Tribune.
Some 200 police personnel were deployed at Laldighi which is located near the CMP headquarters, Chittagong Court Building and deputy commissioner’s office.
Earlier, the Chittagong Metropolitan Police allowed the Qawmi madrasa-based platform to hold the programme on 12 separate conditions. The police had asked the Hefazat leadership not to invite the accused, who are not on bail, on the stage to address the event, and not to give provocative speeches.
However, Babunagari reiterated the demand for formulating a law (anti-blasphemy law) keeping the provision of death penalty against those who demean Prophet Mohammad (SM).
“We will resist them who make derogatory remarks about our prophet,” he said adding that no “atheist” could live in the country.
He also said people from other religion had the right to live in the country “as it is a democratic country.”
Other leaders of the platform threatened that the government would be destroyed if it had revised the Qawmi madrasa education system.
Hefazat Central Committee Joint Secretary General Mahmudul Hasan, Chittagong city unit Nayeb-e-Ameer ATM Taher, Dhaka city unit Publicity Secretary Altaf Hossain and Mufti Amini’s son Mufti Abul Hasnat Amini also spoke at the programme chaired by Chittagong city unit Nayeb-e-Ameer Shamsuddhoha
Source: Dhaka Tribune
