Mufti Md Ruhul Amin, appointed as a khatib of the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque during Awami League rule, has been removed from his position within two days of a commotion and clash in the mosque.
The Ministry of Religious Affairs in a press release issued on Sunday said Md Ruhul Amin had been removed from the position of khatib of the mosque through the proper procedures.
On Friday, before Jummah prayers, a clash occurred between followers of the current and former khatib of the mosque, resulting in "scuffles and damage to property." The doors and windows of the mosque were damaged in the incident.
Witnesses said several people had been injured in the clash.
After the fall of the Awami League government on August 5, Ruhul Amin, like many others, reportedly went into hiding. Later, the responsibility of khatib was given to Waliur Rahman Khan.
When Ruhul returned to the mosque on Friday, tensions arose among the worshippers.
Zahed Ali, one of the worshipers, said the current khatib, Mufti Waliur Rahman Khan, was delivering the sermon before the prayers when Ruhul Amin entered the mosque with his followers and grabbed the microphone from the former, leading to the conflict.
A police officer said the scuffle between the followers of the former and current khatib had created a tense situation, adding that they had thrown shoes at each other, taking them out of the shoe racks.
The Ministry of Religious Affairs later condemned the incident and announced that it would take legal action against those involved.