Old wine in new bottle

Hifazat-e Islam’s Dhaka blockade is a demonstration of the muscle power of religion-driven politics, but under a non-political banner in a year when parliament elections are due, political analysts say.

Moinul Hoque Chowdhury Senior Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 5 May 2013, 10:25 PM
Updated : 6 May 2013, 00:30 AM

The radical Islamist organisation enforced the Dhaka blockade within a month of its successful 'Long March'.

Political analysts say several small religious parties, which had earlier failed to draw public attention, have now come together under the Hifazat's banner .

The Chittagong-based Hifazat, an organisation of madrasa teachers and students, held a huge rally in Dhaka on Apr 6, from where its leaders raised a 13-point charter of demands.

Political scientist Harun-or-Rashid, told bdnews24.com: “Hifazat is in no way devoid of politics. Check the background of its leaders and you will find they were involved in politics.”

“Now they (the parties) are trying to draw the people by playing up bringing religious passions through madrasa and mosque-based campaign,” Rashid said.

Professor Harun, now the Vice Chancellor of the National University, described Hifazat's apparent new non-political look ‘a disguise’.

“There is no doubt that Hifazat is a communal force now displaying their muscle power in politics by questioning the foundation of the secular state. They have emerged alongside the Jamaat-Shibir and other older likeminded forces but with a new look.”

He believes Hifazat will emerge as the ‘new version’ of Jamaat-e Islami and its student affiliate Chhatra Shibir if the Jamaat-Shibir combine is banned.

Prof Harun said: “Leaders and activists of several organisations like Islami Oikya Jote, Khelafat Majlish, Jamiat-e Ulemae Islam and Nejame Islam joined Hifazat in disguise. Their fund sources are the same. Their 13-point charter of demands doesn’t include trial of the war criminals. It exposes their intention.”

“Hifazat’s tendency to create chaos and use violence indicates the organisation will try to emerge politically in future.”

Hifazat claims it has no political agenda and or any link with Jamaat and Shibir.

But senior BNP leaders were present at Hifazat’s Apr 6 rally and Chairperson Khaleda Zia supported their Dhaka blockade. Jatiya Party, a component of the Awami League-led ruling Grand Alliance, also expressed solidarity with the Hifazat at the rally.

Senior journalist Mozammel Hossain Manju says electoral players, specially the BNP-led 18-Party alliance, are trying to 'take advantage of the Hifazat rise.”

Dhaka University Vice Chancellor AASM Arefin Siddique said: “Hifazat-e Islam campaign against the democratic forces in the name of religion is acceptable in no way. They’re trying to impose their own opinion on others.”

He said Hifazat has not emerged suddenly this year. “The organisation has links with many likeminded political parties. Their main target is to obstruct the trials of the war criminals. They have links with Jamaat-Shibir has been evident.”
With the Jamaat routed in the last elections and now with its top leadership implicated in the war crimes trials, there might be a void for religion-driven politics , a void that the Hifazat is trying to fill .