Islamic Front demands ban on Hefazat-e-Islam

Bangladesh Islamic Front has demanded the government ban Hefazat-e-Islam by listing it as a militant organisation. Members of the front have also demanded Hefazat men be brought to justice through the International Criminal Tribunal.

The demand was made at a press conference held in S Rahman Hall of Chattogram Press Club on Thursday noon.

In a written statement at the press conference, the senior joint secretary-general of the Islamic Front, S U M Abdus Samad, said, "Hefazat is responsible for the current situation, but the government cannot avoid responsibility. Since the government was not tough on these militants, they got the courage to raise their heads. Giving Dawra-e-Hadith the status of Masters has backfired."

He added that just as the murderous Razakars of 1971 have been brought to justice, so should the anti-independence forces formed by the Qawmi Mujahid forces.

"In 1971, there were camps of Mujahid Bahini in different Qawmi madrasas including Hathazari in Chattogram, Patia, big and small Kataras in Dhaka, Lalbagh. In these camps, the Mujahid forces organised war crimes forces like the Razakar Al-Badr," he said.

Leaders of the Islamic Front presented a seven-point demand at the press conference. The demands include: pro-Qawmi Mujahideen forces should be tried at the International Criminal Tribunal like Razakars, Hefazat-e-Islam should be banned and listed immediately as a militant organisation, and government control should be established by bringing Qawmi Madrasas under audit.

The other demands are that Alia-Qaumi should be brought under a uniform education policy, whoever is financing and supporting the Qaumi-Hefazati militants must be brought to justice, the registration of Khilafat Majlish should be cancelled and the party should be banned, and rapists, murderers and culprits driving violence against women, must be punished.

At the press conference, MA Matin, secretary-general of the Islamic Front, said, "The government needs to introduce a separate education system to control the education system of Qaumis like Alia Madrasa. Besides, it is important to ban Hefazat-e-Islam."

Allama MA Mannan, Allama Syed Hossain Al Qaderi, Principal Shah Khalilur Rahman Nizami, Sheikh Abu Sufian Abedi, Peerzada Chadekur Rahman Hashemi, and Qazi Muhammad Solazad Chowdhury were present at the press conference.