Hifazat leader quits seeking justice for Islamist violence in Brahmanbaria

Hifazat-e Islam leader Abdur Rahim Quasemi has resigned from the radical organisation citing recent violence unleashed by its activists in Brahmanbaria and other parts of Bangladesh.

A member of the central committee and joint general secretary of its Brahmanbaria District Unit, Quasemi announced the resignation at a news conference on Friday seeking trial of those responsible for the mayhem.

He was supposed to appear at the press conference at Brahmanbaria Press Club in person but instead sent a written statement citing illness.

The “extreme chaos” following Hifazat’s call for protests against Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit on 50 years of independence was “unprecedented” and “inhumane”, he said in the statement.

“Loss of lives and damage to public property can never be Islamic. So I personally stayed away from these activities and forced the teachers and students of the madrasas under my watch not to join the action against the country and Islam,” he said.

During the deadly violence on Mar 26 and Mar 28, a group of madrasa students vandalised and torched private and government establishments, including railway and police stations, and land office, in Brahmanbaria.

“I'm not involved with Hifazat-e Islam’s current activities. I consider their violent activities as illegal as per Sharia,” Quasemi said.  

“I request the government and the administration to identify those, who instigated the violence that caused loss of lives and damage to state properties, and bring them to book,” he added.

Mufti Enamul Hasan, publicity secretary of Hifazat’s Brahmanbaria District Unit, said they would react to Quasemi’s resignation after consulting the central leaders.

No top leader of the group could be reached for comment.

The police have arrested 346 people in 55 cases over the violence in Brahmanbaria. The law enforcers have accused more than 35,000 people and named 414 in the cases.