Gazipur Islamic Foundation brought in around 200 Imams from the district and its adjacent areas to the city, to campaign for the Awami League-backed mayoral candidate Azmat Ullah Khan.
The religious leaders said they were called in to attend a teachers’ conference at Gazipur Kendryo Mosque, but allegedly asked to canvass for votes for Azmat instead.
“The meeting was wrapped up when we protested,” said the Imams.
Talking to between 200 and 300 Imams, it was found that they hail from Kaliganj, Kapasia, Kaliakoyr, Tangail and Mymensing.
All of them attended the programme held on the first floor of the district central mosque.
All attendees claimed that they are members of the Islamic Foundation run project – mosque-based children and primary mass education programme.
As per the Election Commission’s electoral code of conduct, outsiders won’t be able to take part in any electoral campaign starting on midnight of July 3.
The EC asked outsiders to leave the city as the poll is scheduled to be held on July 6.
Awami League leader Aktar Hossain Gazipuri of the district admitted that a meeting was called to campaign for Azmat Ullah.
On condition of anonymity, an Imam said: “We do not do any politics. We were asked to attend a meeting in Gazipur at 10am and we appeared.”
The member of the Islamic Foundation-run education project said they were first called to attend a teachers’ coordination meeting and later asked to distribute leaflets on Azmat’s candidacy.
Imam Shamsul Haque of Baitul Aman Mosque in Tangail said the Islamic Foundation did not inform them about the meeting. In the beginning of the meeting, a director of Islamic Foundation made speech on behalf of Azmat Ullah. When Imams protested this, the director ended the programme, he added.
Hailing from Mirzapur of Tangail, Abdus Salam, a member of the project, said the Islamic Foundation informed them of a meeting in Gazipur.
“As we asked for bus fair, the authorities said travelling allowance, snacks and also some money will be provided and high-ups of the organisation will attend the meeting,” he said.
But no high officials were seen even after waiting an hour and half, and later all of them left the mosque, he added.
Contacted, Fazlur Rahman of Gazipur Islamic Foundation said: “It is false news. I do not know anything about any meeting.”