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Tensions have flared in Dhaka’s religious and political circles over demands for the removal of Mufti Abdul Malek, khatib of the national mosque Baitul Mukarram.
A group of Muslim worshippers staged a protest at the mosque’s north gate after Friday prayers, alleging Jamaat-e-Islami’s involvement in efforts to remove the khatib. The protesters chanted slogans against Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir.
However, the allegations regarding Jamaat’s role in the reported move to remove the khatib could not be independently verified.
The protest was held on Friday, October 9, under the leadership of the Ulama Dal, Islami Andolan Bangladesh and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Bangladesh.
One of the protesters said Mufti Abdul Malek was highly respected by Muslims and should remain the mosque’s khatib and lead prayers there.
“Islam does not belong to any political party,” he said, adding that Islam belongs to Allah and the Muslim community.
Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Bangladesh, one of the groups involved in the protest, contested the 13th parliamentary election through an understanding with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). The party fielded candidates in four constituencies with BNP support but failed to win any seats.
The protest followed recent remarks by Mufti Abdul Malek criticising Jamaat-e-Islami’s ideology and the decision by a section of Qawmi scholars to join a political alliance with the party.
His comments triggered controversy among Islamist political parties and associated religious scholars, sparking debate on social media, particularly Facebook.
In a video circulated on social media, Abdul Malek can be heard describing the decision by Qawmi scholars to join Jamaat’s alliance as gumrahi, meaning misguidance. He also questioned the use of the phrase “Aqimud-Din” in Jamaat’s logo, arguing that it amounted to a misinterpretation of Islam. He reportedly expressed his objection by saying “Nauzubillah”.
The remarks intensified the debate in religious and political circles, culminating in Friday’s protest at the mosque’s north gate, where demonstrators chanted slogans against Jamaat-e-Islami.
