Also criticises media coverage
Although Hefajat-e-Islam has unleashed mayhem in different districts recently, it is now blaming the ruling party for it.
Calling the Awami League “Helmet League”, Hefajat said the violence was instigated by AL men in helmets.
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Mamunul Haque, joint secretary general of the Islamist group, made the remarks while speaking at a protest rally on the premises of the capital’s Baitul Mukarram national mosque after Juma prayers yesterday.
He was addressing the rally amid heavy deployment of law enforcers in the adjacent Paltan area.
Mamunul said ruling party men in helmets attacked Hefajat activists after Juma prayers last week, leading to clashes in Dhaka, Narayanganj, Brahmanbaria and Chattogram.
For three days from Friday, Hefajat supporters ran amok vandalising and torching establishments and properties in Brahmanbaria and other districts.
Hefajat yesterday slammed the media, alleging that journalists covered their demonstration negatively and that the state was controlling the media and most TV channels and newspapers had become the government’s mouthpiece.
“If anyone thinks that Hefajat will bow down before gun barrels, they are living in a fool’s paradise. You can’t suppress Hefajat through intimidation,” Mamunul said at the rally.
“We saw responsible persons from the administration briefing the media. They were crying that a land office, documents and other government establishments were torched. But you shot and killed people as if they were birds.
“We didn’t see the IGP expressing grief over the deaths. Aren’t they citizens of the country?
“If this is your mindset, then we want to tell you that tomorrow’s Bangladesh is Hefajat’s Bangladesh.”
Hefajat also criticised the local media of Brahmanbaria who decided not to cover the Islamist organisation’s strike on Sunday protesting Hefajat’s attack on the press club in the district.
“Someone may have mistreated journalists in Brahmanbaria. We apologise for it,” Mamunul said.
He then claimed that the media could not write anything against an MP in Brahmanbaria but they “keep writing fictitious stories about Hefajat”.
The organisation’s deputy chief Ahmed Abdul Quader said, “We want to seek revenge for the blood that has been shed. The Jubo League, Chhatra League and Helmet League attacked us. But the police didn’t arrest them.”
Hefajat leader Maulana Jasim Uddin said, “The country has been turned into a police state. Every drop of blood will be remembered. Ershad is gone, Khaleda Zia is gone too. Sheikh Hasina will also have to go to jail. Wait, it’s not too late.”
‘WITHDRAW ALL FALSE CASES’
Hefajat chief Junaid Babunagari said the cases filed by police following the mayhem were “false” and demanded that they be withdrawn immediately.
“The cases which were filed across the country following the peaceful movement of Hefajat supporters are false cases. It was the police who instigated the Hefajat men, attacked the demonstrators and killed innocent people. The law enforcers are now harassing us by filing false cases,” he said.
“We demand exemplary punishment and immediate removal of Hathazari Police Station OC Rafiqul Islam. We also want trial of those policemen who shot innocent protesters.”
He was addressing a rally after Juma prayers in front of Hathazari madrasa in Chattogram. Hathazari is a stronghold of Hefajat men, mostly Qwami madrasa students.
“We’ve prayed for Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. We also pray for Bangladesh. We are not anti-liberation or anti-government or anti-Bangladesh. We oppose the atheists and we will continue to do so,” he said.
“The government is trying to close the madrasa in the name of containing the spread of Covid-19. We will resist the decision with an iron fist.”
Due to the rally, traffic on the Hathazari-Khagrachhari road remained suspended for hours and police were on alert.
Yesterday, similar protests were staged in Narayanganj and Munshiganj, where hundreds of demonstrators joined defying the health restrictions imposed to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
At least 43 cases have been filed so far in connection with the destruction carried out by Hefajat activists in Dhaka, Chattogram, Brahmanbaria, Kishoreganj and Narayanganj.
Over 20,000 people were made accused in the cases.
Although there are plenty of video clips and photos showing that the recent countrywide mayhem was unleashed by Hefajat, only a handful of people from the Islamist organisation have been accused in the cases.
HEFAJAT-COPS CLASH IN GAZIPUR
At least 20 people, including seven policemen, were injured as police and Hefajat supporters clashed on Dhaka-Mymensingh highway in Gazipur after Juma prayers yesterday.
The clash broke out as Hefajat men tried to block the highway near Chowrasta Jame Masjid area. As police went to clear the blockade, the protesters threw brick chunks at them, leading to the clash, our correspondent reported, quoting witnesses.
Police fired tear gas and dispersed the crowd.
At least seven people were detained from the spot, the correspondent added.
