Make 5-point proposal
A section of Qawmi madrasa based clerics today gave a proposal to the government to construct ‘minar’ (tower) — instead of sculpture of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman — inscribed with the 99 names of Allah.
They prepared a five-point proposal, calling upon the government to find a better alternative in light of the Holy Quran and Sunnah to show respect, and said showing respect to a great leader or a man through constructing his sculpture is “anti-Islamic”.
The proposals were made at a meeting held at Jatrabari Madrasa in the capital with Mahmudul Hasan, acting president of Qawmi Madrasa Education Board (Befaq) and Chairman of Al Hayatul Uliya Lil Jamiatil Qawmiya Bangladesh, in the chair.
The meeting was held following recent debate on construction of sculpture of Bangabandhu at the capital’s Dholairpar.
Apart from Hefajat, Islami Andolon Bangladesh and Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish have been strongly opposing the government’s move to construct the sculpture of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Different political, social and cultural organisations have been demanding that the government should not bow down to the fundamentalist organisations’ demand and deal with an iron hand in this regard.
After the meeting of the clerics, Maulana Mahfuzul Haque, secretary general of Befaq, told reporters that eminent Islamic clerics from all over the country took part in the meeting where the five proposals were accepted based on everyone’s opinion.
“We will be sending the proposals to the prime minister in the form of a memorandum. At the same time, we will seek time to meet the prime minister to talk on this issue,” he said.
He also said that making idols or sculptures for any purpose is strictly forbidden in Islam.
Replying to a question on what is the alternative to this end, Mahfuzul Haque said, “Our proposal is to build Mujib Minar inscribed with the 99 names of Allah.”
The meeting was attended, among others, by Amir of Bangladesh Khilafat Andolon Maulana Ataullah, President of a faction of Jamiat-e-Ulama-e-Islam Mufti Muhammad Waqqas, Vice President of Islami Andolon Bangladesh Syed Muhammad Faizul Karim, and Mufti Ruhul Amin.
