The Bangladesh Awami Ulama League, allegedly an associate organization of the ruling Awami League, is recently getting a lot of attention due to its reportedly controversial statements and demands.
To get a more detailed view of this organization, the correspondent visited Ulama League General Secretary Maulana Md Abul Hassan Sheikh Shariatpuri at his office in Topkhana Road in Dhaka on Tuesday.
Besides politics, Abul Hassan also serves as a kazi (marriage registrar), evident on a signboard outside his political office. The kazi office also acts as the central office for Ulama League.
Along with Abul Hasan, party President Maulana Akhter Hossain Bokhari, Office Secretary Md Shawkat Ali Sheikh and International Affairs Secretary Maulana Tajul Islam were present at the office.
When asked about more details about the Ulama League, Abul Hassan handed over a number of posters, leaflets and other documents featuring party activities.
Showing a photo of a milad-mahfil (prayer gathering), he said: “Senior Awami League leaders were present in these programs. The then Awami League general secretary Abdul Jalil and incumbent General Secretary Obaidul Quader is present in this photo.”
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“We have a solid foundation. Otherwise, why would the ruling party leaders attend our programs, and why would we get invited to their events? Many such events have been held, but we did not take photos of all of them,” he said.
Abul Hassan stated that he never thought a day would come when the Ulama League would have to prove its validity as an organization.
‘I was a freedom fighter’
Ulama League President Maulana Akhter Hossain Bokhari, who hails from Tangail, said: “I was a freedom fighter who participated in the Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971. I became severely ill back in 2014, and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina donated Tk1 lakh for my treatment.
“On the check, I was addressed as the president of Ulama League. Sheikh Hasina gave me the position in 2001, and we follow her leadership and directives. We also have committees all over Bangladesh.”
Showing a poster, Maulana Bokhari continued: “These are the images of a strike held in 2001. Ulama League leaders are seen with central Awami League leaders like Mohammad Nasim.”
“During that movement, many Awami League and Ulama League leaders suffered torture and unlawful detention at the hands of police,” he said.
General Secretary of the party Abul Hassan also added that the prime minister had made arrangements for him to perform Hajj under government management in 2014.
He further said: “Many notable personalities have attended our events, including Obaidul Quader, Hasan Mahmud and former vice-chancellor of Dhaka University AAMS Arefin Siddique.
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“The central committee of our party is comprised of 101 members.”
When asked, Abul Hassan could not provide a list of the names of central committee members, nor could he say when the most recent council was held.
Abul Hassan also claimed the Ulama League office was previously located on the third floor of Awami League Central Office in 23 Bangabandhu Avenue.
Inside the Ulama League
According to sources, Ulama League is not listed as an affiliate organization of Awami League. The organization is run by alims (Islamic scholars) supported by the ruling party.
There are also allegations that the Ulama League is suffering from internal tensions caused by leadership disputes among the senior members.
Up until 2017, there were two major factions inside the party, one headed by Maulana Bokhari and Abul Hassan, while the other led by Ilias Hossain Bin Helali and Md Delowar Hossain.
Following the death of Helali in 2018, his supporters have become almost inactive.
Responding to queries about Helali, Abul Hassan said: “He was with us since the inception of this organization. However, Helali declared himself the president of Ulama League back in 2008.”
Discussing the origin of the party, Office Secretary Shawkat Ali Sheikh claimed Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman formed Bangladesh Ulama Party in 1969, with Maulana Abdur Rashid as the leader.
Later, the party was renamed the Bangladesh Awami Ulama League in 1996, with Maulana Habibullah as the leader.
Commenting on the controversial demands and statements recently made by the Ulama League, Abul Hassan said: “Everything we say is based on the Islamic point of view. We are not making up anything.”
“We were there even when the Awami League was not in power. We participated in their movements and demonstrations. We uphold the ideology of Bangabandhu,” he said.
On Monday, the Ulama League demanded a ban on the operation of non-government organizations (NGOs) and international NGOs that are working to curb child marriage in Bangladesh. It also demanded a ban on the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL).
On the same day Awami League, in a statement sent to the media by its Office Secretary Abdus Sobhan Golap, denied any involvement with the Islamist group.
