‘Tauhidi Janata’ comprising local leaders of BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, Hefazat-e-Islam, Jamiat and other religious organisations has demanded that an Urs Sharif scheduled for August 26-27 at the residence of Kazi Jaber Al Jahangir in Savar be stopped.
They submitted a memorandum to the Savar Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) and police on Sunday, alleging that Jaber has made controversial statements about Allah, the Prophet, prayer, fasting, heaven, hell and the Day of Judgment.
Ten people signed the memorandum, including three Hefazat leaders, two BNP leaders, a Jubo Dal leader, a Bangladesh Khilafat Andolan leader, a Jamiat-e-Ulama-e-Islam leader, a Jamaat activist and a local religious leader.
They demanded cancellation of the Urs and withdrawal of cases filed against members of “Tauhidi Janata,” while urging the administration to intervene to prevent any untoward incident.
Jaber denied the allegations, describing them as false propaganda. He said an Urs has been held at his home for nearly 19 years in memory of his late father. This year’s event will also be held within the family compound, without any external stage or loudspeakers, he said.
Leaders of the group said their objection was not to the Urs itself but to what they described as “un-Islamic activities” allegedly associated with Jaber.
Savar UNO Md Saiful Islam said those who submitted the complaint had been advised to remain calm and that the matter would be discussed with police.
Officer-in-Charge of Savar Police Station Md Saiful Alam said senior officials had been informed and that necessary measures were being taken to prevent any deterioration of the law-and-order situation.