Hifazat leader Zakaria Noman arrested on Hathazari violence charges

Police have arrested Zakaria Noman, the publicity secretary of Hifazat-e Islam’s recently dissolved committee, on charges related to violence in Chattogram’s Hathazari during celebrations of Bangladesh’s 50th anniversary.

He was held at Chakaria Upazila in Cox’s Bazar on Wednesday in a case over the violence during protests against Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit on Mar 26 Independence Day, said SM Rashidul Hasan, Chattogram superintendent of police.

Hifazat activists, who objected to Modi’s visit over his government’s policy towards Muslims, attacked Hathazari Police Station during the deadly protests. They also carried out arson attacks on land offices.   

Violence also erupted in Brahmanbaria and Narayanganj.

Police then arrested hundreds of people, including a number of top Hifazat leaders, in dozens of cases over the violence during the celebrations of 50 years of independence.

Despite being an “apolitical” organisation, Hifazat aimed to grab state power through the protests, the police said.

Under pressure due to the arrests, Hifazat chief Junaid Babunagari dissolved the central committee on Apr 25 and formed a five-strong convening committee, but arrests of its leaders have continued.

As the crackdown on the radical Islamist group continued, a Hifazat delegation met Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal on Tuesday night for the second time in less than two weeks demanding an end to arrests of the organisation’s leaders.

On Apr 28, the Rapid Action Battalion arrested Harun Izhar, the education and cultural affairs secretary of Hifazat’s last committee, in Chattogram’s Lalkhan Bazar.

The police started six cases on Mar 30 against thousands of unidentified people over the violence in Hathazari.

On Apr 22, three more cases were filed naming Junaid Babunagari, the Amir of Hifazat’s new convening committee,  and BNP leader Mir Helal over the violence.