Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh is set to hold a grand rally in Dhaka on Saturday to press home its four-point demand, including the abolition of the Women's Reform Commission. As part of preparations for the event, leaders and activists of the group staged a protest rally and procession on Friday in support of their demands.
The protest was held after Jummah prayers in front of the north gate of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque. Following the rally, a protest march was also brought out.
Speaking as the chief guest at the rally, Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh’s Joint Secretary General, Maulana Junaid Al Habib, said: “The report of the Women's Reform Commission is anti-Islamic, anti-Quran and anti-Muslim. Not only the report, but the entire commission must be abolished.”
He added: “We want to remind you (the interim government) that you came to power at the cost of the blood of Hefazat’s leaders in 2013. If all cases against our leaders are not withdrawn, we will once again wage a battle to oust you (Dr Yunus) from power.”
Addressing the gathering, Hefazat’s Assistant Organizing Secretary Mufti Jaber Kashemi said: “The rally scheduled for tomorrow is not anti-women. In the past, several political parties have tried to pit Islam against women.”
He added: “We want to reassure our mothers and sisters that Islam has given women the highest respect and rights. Those who are using women’s names and the commission as a means to establish gender-based discrimination—Hefazat is protesting against them.”
Other speakers at the rally included Hefazat leaders Maulana Mohiuddin Rabbani, Maulana Mir Idris, Maulana Mufti Azharul Islam, Mufti Fakhrul Islam, Principal Abu Taher Khan, Maulana Zainul Abedin, Maulana Gazi Yakub Osmani, Paltan Zone Naib-e-Ameer Maulana Yusuf Siddiqui, and Jatrabari Zone leader Mufti Sharifullah.
Notably, Hefazat-e-Islam has announced a grand rally at Suhrawardy Udyan on Saturday to press home its four-point demands.
These include: abolition of the Women's Reform Commission and its report; restoration of full trust and faith in Almighty Allah in the constitution, replacing pluralism; withdrawal of all cases against Hefazat leaders and trial of all mass killings, including the alleged Shapla Chattar massacre; and urging the government to play a role in stopping Muslim genocide and persecution in Palestine and India.
