Saad loyalists ordered to refrain from Tabligh Jamaat activities in Kakrail

Supporters of Zubair have been asked to refrain from large gatherings around the Kakrail Mosque on Friday

The government has imposed restrictions on followers of Indian preacher Maulana Md Saad Kandhalvi from engaging in all kinds of Tabligh Jamaat activities, including overnight stays at Dhaka’s Kakrail Mosque, starting Friday.

Meanwhile, supporters of senior cleric Maulana Zubair Ahmed have been asked to refrain from large gatherings around the Kakrail Mosque on Friday, Dec 27.

The home ministry issued the order on Thursday following a violent clash between two factions of the Tabligh Jamaat that left three people dead.

Reza Arif, a supporter of Saad, told bdnews24.com: “We have accepted the government's decision in the interest of peace and order. We hope that the government will allow us to hold Ijtema peacefully in the future."

Saad loyalists have been gathering at the Tabligh Jamaat’s Markaz in Dhaka since Nov 15 after announcing a two-week sit-in programme at the Kakrail Mosque.

Meanwhile, followers of Zubair announced an indefinite sit-in protest in Kakrail from Thursday to mount pressure on authorities to ban Saad loyalists and push for their three-point charter of demand.

They also announced that pro-Saad groups will not be allowed to hold any activities at the Bishwa Ijtema grounds in Tongi, and the Kakrail Mosque, the main centre of the Tabligh.

Tensions have been ongoing since the clash between the two sides of the Tabligh Jamaat over the occupation of the Ijtema ground on the banks of Turag River on the night of Dec 17, which resulted in the loss of three lives.

Zubair's followers demand that all pro-Saad activities should be banned by the state; those involved in the attack in Tongi should be arrested and brought to justice; and it should be ensured that all Tabligh activities, including the Kakrail Markaz and the Tongi Ijtema ground, be brought under the “Shuraye Nizam.”

Kefayetullah Azhari, the principal of Jamiatul Manhal Al Qawmia Madrasah in Uttara raised the three demands at a press conference on Dec 24. He announced an indefinite sit-in protest in the Kakrail area from Thursday morning to push for the demands.

The division between the two factions of Tabligh Jamaat dates back to 2017, when a controversial speech by Saad criticised the practice of accepting payment for reciting prayers and the Quran. The remarks sparked a split among followers that has deepened over the years.

Since the division, the group’s annual Bishwa Ijtema, one of the largest Muslim congregations globally, has been held in two phases to accommodate the rival factions.

The Dec 17 clash marked a turning point in the dispute, with each side blaming the other for the violence. Zubair’s supporters, who identify themselves as adherents of the Shuraye Nizam, have since intensified calls for government intervention.