Hefazat-e-Islam activists chant slogans as they take part in a protest in Dhaka on February 24, 2017. Hundreds of supporters of the hardliner Islamist group staged protests on February 24 calling for the statue of a Greek goddess installed at the Supreme Court to be destroyed or removed. The sculpture of Themis, the blindfolded deity of justice and order, has ruffled feathers in the Muslim-majority nation since it was unveiled late last year on the premises of the country's top court Photo: AFPCourt officials, however, defended the statue as "a symbol of justice." The image of Greek goddess Themis, depicted with her eyes shielded and holding the scales of justice, represents fairness, law and custom across the world.
The Dhaka procession began from Baitul Mukarram National Mosque.
Hundreds of Hefazat supporters chanted slogans and wielded placards with phrases such as "Demolish the statue on the court premises and replace it with the Qur'an," states a report from AFP.
Hefazat's Central Committee Joint Secretary General Junaid Al Habib said the “idol” had to be removed by any means.
Hundreds of activists from hardliner Islamist group Hefazat-e-Islam gather in front of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque in Dhaka to stage protest demanding the removal of the statue of Themis, the Greek goddess of justice and order, on February 24, 2017 Photo: AFPIn a country with a 92% Muslim population, people would not tolerate any “idol” in the country’s apex court premises, Habib added.
Conservative Bangladesh has seen increasing tension between hardliners and secularists in recent years: A spate of killings of atheist bloggers, religious minorities and foreigners combined with a series of changes in school textbooks, which are overwhelmingly secular, to reflect Muslim traditions.
According to sources, several leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami, a BNP ally which has been absent from recent street demonstrations, and members of its student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir are supportive of the recent radical Islamist moves to remove the Supreme Court statue of Lady Justice, avenge the persecution of Rohingya Muslims and make changes in school textbooks.
Sources also said all paper materials and information for these movements are supplied by Jamaat-Shibir to the other parties, including Hefazat.
Security has been increased in the area around Baitul Mukarram, according to local police official Rafiqul Islam.
He added that at least 1,000 people had joined the rally there and a similar rally had also been held at Chittagong.Also Read- As Hefazat rises, so does Awami League
'You too will burn'
Chittagong unit of Hefazat organised their rally at the Anderkillah Shahi Mosque premises. Hefazat Joint Secretary General Mainuddin Ruhi threatened: “Remove the Greek idol at once from the Supreme Court premises. Please douse the smouldering fire in the hearts of the Muslims. Otherwise, the fire will soon catch you. “Hefazat believes in systemic movement. We will be compelled to hold another rally at Shapla Chattar if our demand is unheeded.”
Hefazat-e-Islam activists take part in a protest demanding removal of Greek sculpture from the Supreme Court premises in port city Chittagong on February 24, 2017 Photo: Rabin Chowdhury/Dhaka TribuneAzizul Haque Islamabadi, Hefazat's organising secretary, said the premier was unaware that the “idol” had been installed on the Supreme Court premises.
“The idol was installed on the advice of a handful of atheists only to put the government in an awkward position,” he said.
He also reminded his audience of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's pledge that the country would run as per the Medina Charter and that installing an “idol” was a direct contradiction of the Medina Charter.
When contacted, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Nayeb-e-Amir Nur Hossain Kashemi told the Dhaka Tribune that they would launch a tougher movement against the government if their demand was not met.Narayanganj Hefazat to take actionThe Narayanganj unit of Hefazat also held a mass rally in front of the city's DIT Jame Mosque after Jumma prayers on Friday.
At their programme, they threatened that if their demands went unmet, they would rally their forces and go destroy the Lady Justice statue.
Hefazat's Narayanganj district unit President Mawlana Abdul Awwal said: “You can establish however many idols at the different temples in Bangladesh, but we will not tolerate the presence of an idol in front of the highest court in the country.”
Hefazat-e-Islam activists in a mass procession in Narayanganj city demanding the removal of the Greek statue from the Supreme Court premises on February 24, 2017 Photo: Dhaka Tribune“The protest to remove this idol from the Supreme Court begins here. It begins today, from Narayanganj,” he exclaimed, adding: “If you do not remove this idol, we will be forced to march to the Supreme Court and remove it ourselves.”
Mawlana Abdul Quadir, secretary of Narayanganj unit of Hefazat, spoke at the rally along with Hefazat leaders Ferdausur Rahman, Mufti Harunur Rashid, Ismail Siraji and Anis Ansari.
On Friday, Islami Andolan Bangladesh Chief Rezaul Karim told the Dhaka Tribune that if the sculpture was not removed, the public would “create a river of blood” in protest.Also Read- AQIS supports Hefazat on SC statue removal
