Members of Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat in Chittagong yesterday threatened to lay siege to the Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Dhaka on Sunday protesting the alleged initiative to shift the tomb of Prophet Muhammed (PBUH) to anonymous site.
The Islamic organisation made the announcement at a press conference held at Chittagong Press Club in the afternoon where Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat Member Secretary Advocate Mosaheb Uddin Bakhtiar read out a written statement.
He said: “We will lay siege to the Saudi Embassy in Dhaka on Sunday, protesting the decision of destroying the tomb of the Prophet and removal of his body to another location.”
At the press conference, the speakers said Saudi government’s plan would create division among the Muslim world and the proposal to destroy the tomb is an attack on religious sentiment.
Many militant organisations are conducting their misdeeds across the world by the patronisation of Wahabi ideologists who are also tried to do such job influencing Saudi government,” said Advocate Mosaheb, adding that they will also hold protest rally, bring out protest procession and form human chain protesting the plan of Saudi government in the port city.
He also demanded clarification within 48 hours from the Saudi Embassy in Dhaka on a reported proposal to destroy the tomb of Prophet Mohammad and bury his remains in an unknown grave.
The Ahle Sunnat leader also called upon all imams and khatibs of all mosques to protest the proposal of the Saudi government in khutba (sermons) during Jumma prayers on Fridays.
After the press briefing, a procession was brought out from the press club premises which ended in Laldighi Ground area after parading some city roads.
MA Matin, chief coordinator of Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat Central Coordinating Committee, and Peyarul Islam, chairman of Gausia Committee Bangladesh, were present at the press conference.
According to a report carried out by The Independent, a UK-based newspaper, on September 2, Saudi Arabia is all set to demolish three of the world’s oldest mosques, including Prophet Mohammed (PBUH)’s tomb, in order to expand the second holiest site of Muslims, Masjid an-Nabawi.
The report titled “Saudis risk new Muslim division with proposal to move Mohamed’s tomb”, written by Andrew Johnson of The Independent, said construction work on the Masjid an-Nabawi in Madina, where the Prophet Mohammed is buried, is due to start next month.
Under the proposed plans the site will be developed to include a mosque with a capacity for 1.6m worshipers.
The plans, brought to light by another Saudi academic who has exposed and criticised the destruction of holy places and artefacts in Mecca – the holiest site in the Muslim world – call for the destruction of chambers around the Prophet’s grave which are particularly venerated by Shia Muslims, said the report.