Hifazat chief skips rally

Hifazat-e Islam chief Ahmad Shafi is not attending the rally at Motijheel’s Shapla Chattar for ‘security reasons’.

Its Publicity Secretary of Dhaka metropolitan unit Ahmudullah Oyales disclosed the matter to bdnews24.com.

Oyales said Shafi, however, in a message told supporters not to halt their ‘sit-in’ in the capital’s commercial hub unless their demands were met.

Police said he returned suddenly to Lalbagh madrasa after reaching Azimpur, but the radical organisation General Secretary Junaid Babu Nagarisaid Shafi was barred from joining the rally.

“Ahmad Shafi is not being allowed to join the rally,” told bdnews24.com over telephone from the rally spot.

He hung up the phone after he was asked about the possible reason behind the ‘police move’.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner (Lalbagh Division) Harunur Rashid said, “Shafi had started for the rally but returned (to Lalbagh) after reaching near the education board.”

Shafi was present in Hifazat’s Apr 6 rally in the same neighbourhood, but he did not address it. His son Ahmad Anas read out a brief written statement on his behalf.

Earlier in the evening, an announcement from the main stage of the rally said Shafi would announce Hifazat’s future programme from the rally.

Four people have been killed in the clashes between activists of Hifazat-e Islam, backed by Jamaat-e-Islami, and the law enforcers in the streets surrounding the Baitul Mukarram in the capital.

Hifazat-e Islam activists have vandalised and torched the headquarters of the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) at Purana Paltan.

Some Hizajat activists, who were already at Motijheel, clashed with law enforcers at around 12pm near Paltan. Soon the clashes spread to Kakrail, Naya Paltan and other adjacent areas turning the whole area virtually into a battlefield.

The violence first erupted after authorities permitted the Hifazat to hold its 3pm rally in the day. The clearance came amidst the Hifazat's Dhaka blockade that has effectively cut off the capital from most districts since early Sunday.

The Hifazat blockade programme aims to pressure the government into accepting the controversial 13-point charter of demands.

Similar picketing in support of the blockade took place on Demra road, where Hifazat supporters were seen tearing down film posters. “Curbs on obscenity in films’ is one of Hifazat’s key demands.

The Hifazat activists stated moving towards Motijheel rally venue from different gateways to the city including Jatrabarhi, Demra, Uttara and Gabtali after their road blockade until noon.