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Published : 08 Oct 2024, 02:40 PM
A human chain demonstration has called for the withdrawal of cases filed in Panchagarh Sadar in connection with the attacks on the Ahmadiyya Muslim community a year and a half ago.
Jatiya Ulema Mashaikh Aimma Parishad organised the protest in front of the local Central Shaheed Minar on the Panchagarh-Dhaka highway in the Chowrangi Mor area of the city on Monday afternoon.
Maulana Salman Jahangir, president of the Panchagarh district branch of the organisation, leaders and workers of various organisations including Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish, Islami Andolan, Jatiya Ulema Mashaikh Aimma Parishad, those accused in the case, and students of various madrasas participated in the demonstration.
The speakers demanded the withdrawal of the cases filed in connection with the clashes between the supporters of the Khatme Nabuwat movement and the Ahmadiyya community and the police a year and a half ago, calling them 'false and harassing' cases.
In March 2023, the homes of the Ahmadiyya community were attacked, vandalised and set on fire in Panchagarh. Two youths were killed in the violence.
A number of cases were filed by the Ahmadiyya community affected by the attacks, with thousands of people accused.
Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish Secretary General Muhammad Mamunul Haque demanded the withdrawal of the cases filed by the Ahmadiyya community from a rally in Panchagarh on Sept 15.
That day, he said: “Many of our brothers are victims of false cases by the Qadianis [Ahmadiyya Mulims]. Please withdraw the false cases filed by Qadianis in Panchagarh before withdrawing the other false cases filed during the fascist regime.”
Ahmad Tabshir Choudhury, director of external & public affairs at Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama'at, Bangladesh, protested the statement.
He said: "Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at has not filed any false cases."
Highlighting the situation faced by the community, he said: "On Mar 3 and Mar 4, 2023, a group of extremists attacked the annual meeting of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at, killed one of us, attacked more than two hundred houses, looted and set fire to them, and injured more than a hundred of our members. In view of that, the affected members of Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat filed 13 cases with the Panchagarh Sadar Police Station and 10 cases with the Boda Police Station.”
"The chargesheets of 10 cases at Boda Police Station have been filed. Cases have been filed on the basis of still images, video footage and eyewitnesses as much as possible. The cases are currently pending and are part of the judicial process.”
Tabshir said: "On Sept 15, Hifazat and Khelafat Majlish leader Mamunul Haque held a rally in Panchagarh, called these cases false and demanded their withdrawal. He gave a one-month ultimatum to withdraw the cases. Since then, some quarters have been demanding the withdrawal of the cases.”
"At the request of the defendants in the case, a peaceful settlement process was underway between the plaintiff members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at and the defendants to withdraw the cases filed at Boda Police Station, but that process was also disrupted after the statements by Mr. Mamunul Haque."
