Hifazat-e Islam condemns burning of ‘Nural Pagla’s’ body, urges stricter law enforcement

The administration’s inaction pushed angry locals to take action, the organisation says

Hifazat-e Islam Bangladesh has condemned the exhumation and burning of the body of Nurul Haque, a fringe religious figure popularly known as “Nural Pagla”, in Rajbari, calling it unacceptable.

They have also accused the local administration of a grave failure in protecting the religious sentiment of the devout Muslim community.

In a joint statement on Saturday, the organisation's chief Muhibullah Babunagari and Secretary General Sajedur Rahman also urged the government to take stricter action to maintain law and order.

In the statement, Hifazat leaders said: “Local devout Muslims in Rajbari have been angry for a long time over the anti-Shariah activities of ‘Nural Pagla’, including the construction of a 12-foot-high shrine and altar modelled after the Kaaba, his claim to be Imam Mahdi, and the promotion of his own Kalima.

“Local dignitaries made repeated efforts to convince Nural Pagla’s family, but failed. They also approached the local administration to stop his misdeeds, submitted memorandums and held press conferences when necessary.”

Hifazat leaders said that, despite the patience of these devotees, the administration’s inaction led to angry locals exhuming Nurul’s grave and burning his body.

“Burning a body is prohibited in Islam. It is a question of human dignity, and no one has the right to take that away.

“The burning of Nural Pagla’s body is a reprehensible and unacceptable act. One injustice cannot be corrected by committing another,” the statement said.