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Anti-Ahmadiyya group’s new programmes
Staff Correspondent

The chairman of the Islamic Oikya Jote, a partner of the ruling coalition, threatened that the country would turn into a province of India if the government did not declare the Ahmadiyyas non-Muslim.

If they call themselves Muslims anymore, we will eliminate them from the land.Mahmudul Hasan Mamtazi

“Beware, Bangladesh will no more exist and will become India’s province if you do not declare the Ahmadiyyas non-Muslim immediately,” warned Fazlul Haq Amini MP.

Amini was addressing an anti-Ahmadiyya grand conference organised by International Majlis-e-Tahaffuz-e-Khatme Nabuwat Bangladesh (IMTKNB), an international outfit of anti-Ahmadiyya diehards, at Paltan Maidan after Juma prayers yesterday where they announced a 44-day ultimatum to meet their 11-point demand.

The IMTKNB will observe a countrywide demonstration day on January 23 and march towards the Jatiya Sangsad and submit a memo randum to the Speaker on January 26.

It will submit memos to deputy commissioners of all districts within the next week and conduct a signature campaign till February 29 in support of their 11-point demand. They will submit the collected signatures to the prime minister and home minister at a later date.

Later, they will stage a sit-in at the secretariat on March 17 if the government fails to meet their demands by the end of February.

The IMTKNB President and Khatib of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque, Obaidul Haq chaired the conference participated by anti-Ahmadiyya zealots from across the country.

Speakers not only called the Ahmadiyyas kaffirs but also vowed to demolish all Ahmadiyya mosques, saying they cannot call their places of worships mosques.

“Defying the basic beliefs of Islam, you (Ahmadiyyas) cannot call yourselves Muslims and associate yourselves with any Islamic terminology,” said Charmonai pir and President of Islamic Shashantantra Andolon Sayed Fazlul Karim.

Mahmudul Hasan Mamtazi, amir of Hifazate Khatme Nabuwat Andolon (HKNA), an agitating anti-Ahmadiyya alliance, said, “If they call themselves Muslims anymore, we will eliminate them from the land.”

Chairman of a faction of the IOJ Shaikhul Hadith Azizul Haq said, “We are ready to sacrifice our lives to evict them.”

An IMTKNB leader of Brahmanbaria Saidur Rahman asked the participants to call for banning the publications of Hindu and Christian communities.

Obaidul Haq said, “We will have no complain if the Ahmadiyyas live in the country identifying themselves as a minority community like the followers of other religions.”

Amini and Shaikhul Hadith Azizul Haq, Charmonai pir Sayed Fazlul Karim and Obaidul Haq sat together on the stage despite having strong differences of opinion, even rival Amini and Shaikhul Hadith both of whom claimed themselves IOJ chairmen. However, all admitted they are united in the anti-Ahmadiyya issue.

While the anti-Ahmadiyya grand conference was going on at the Paltan Maidan, the three-day annual conference of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat, Bangladesh (AMJB) was inaugurated at their central office at Bakshibazar yesterday.

National Amir of the AMJB Mobassherur Rahman inaugurated the conference also attended by leaders of different socio-political and cultural organisations, professionals and human rights activists including Rashed Khan Menon, Mujahidul Islam Selim, Moinuddin Khan Badal, Justice KM Sobhan, Journalist Shahriar Kabir, Dr Kazi Nurul Islam, Barrister Sara Hossian, Dr Faustina Pereira and Advocate Sultana Kamal.