Ahmad Shafi’s death was natural, not murder, Babunagari claims

Hefezat-e-Islam's current Ameer Junayed Babunagari Wednesday claimed that the death of the former Amir Shah Ahmad Shafi was natural.

He also said the allegation against him for Shafi's murder is a political conspiracy.

He made the remarks at a press conference at the Al-Jamiatul Ahlia Darul Ulum Muinul Islam Madrasa auditorium in Hathazari demanding the withdrawal of false cases filed regarding Shah Ahmad Shafi's death, conspiracy against students and teachers of Hathazari Madrasa and Hefazat leaders.

Hefazat's science and technology affairs secretary Nurul Afsar Azahari read a written statement at the conference.

In the written statement, Hefazat-e-Islam authority claimed that before his death, Shafi was taken hostage by a vested group.

"Not only that, the students continued to be harassed and tortured in the madrasa by that group. At that time they (current authority) were forced to join the movement in protest of this injustice," it read.

The statement said during protests, Shah Ahmad Shafi was not tortured physically or mentally.

Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh's senior Naib Ameer Allama Shah Mahibullah Babunagari, Al-Jamiatul Ahlia Darul Ulum Muinul Islam Madrasa's Shura Committee member Maulana Noman Fayezi and madrasa's senior teacher Mufti Jasim Uddin were also present.

On 17 December, a case was filed against 36 people, including the Hefajat-e-Islam Joint Secretary General, Mamunul Haque over the death of Allama Shah Ahmed Shafi, the rector of Hathazari Madrasa and former chief of Hefazat-e-Islam terming his death as "pre-planned murder."

Md Mainuddin, Shafi's brother-in-law, filed the case in Chattogram Judicial Magistrate-3 court.