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Satkhira Ahmadiyya Complex siege plan Bigots march in shrouds to drum up support Our Correspondent, Satkhira
Activists of International Khatme Nabuwat Movement (IKNM) wearing burial shrouds took out a procession in the town after Jum’a prayers yesterday to drum up support for their demand to declare the Ahmadiyyas non-Muslim.
The procession paraded the thoroughfares of the town, aggravating the tension prevailing in the district ahead of the IKNM plan to besiege an Ahmadiyya complex at Sundarban Bazar in Shyam Nagar upazila tomorrow to drive its demand home.
“At least 10,000 people from the district will gather in Harinagar High School ground on April 17 before the siege,” said IKNM Nayeb-e-Amir Noor Hossain Nurani. Over 3,000 madrasa students with their teachers and people from elsewhere will also join the siege, he added.
However, he said the siege will be a peaceful and democratic demonstration.
Nurani said IKNM will declare its next actions if the government fails to meet its demand by April 17. “It [the government) lacks courage to declare Ahmadiyyas Kafirs. Those who do not consider Kadianis as Kafirs are themselves Kafirs,” he claimed and threatened that the government will face trouble if it does not declare Kadiyanis non-Muslim.
On the other hand, he said, if the ruling parties declare Ahmadiyyas non-Muslim, they will get political support from the Muslim Ulema in returning to power.
In the opposition camp, civil society members on April 13 night held a meeting at Satkhira Unnayan Kendra, an NGO. Speakers at the meeting expressed serious apprehension at the IKNM programme and said the government will be responsible for any untoward incidents during or over the siege.
They condemned the repeated attack on Ahmadiyya Jamaat and their persecution by Islami bigots and called the IKNM move to lay siege to the Ahmadiyya complex a violation of their constitutional rights.
On Thursday, leaders of the left-leaning 11-party alliance visited the Ahmadiyya complex at Sundarban Bazar, the target of IKNM April-17 siege, and promised the Ahmadiyyas of their full support against the IKNM attack.
Later in the evening, at a press briefing at Satkhira Unnayan Kendra, 11-party leaders termed the IKNM activities militant. Workers Party leader Mustafa Lutfullah said the situation is deteriorating fast due to government’s inaction and sheltering Islami bigots directly or indirectly.
The same night, at a press briefing at a local hotel, Ahmadiyya Missionary Abdul Awal Khan Chowdhury urged the government to take proper safety measures at their Shyam Nagar complex.
When contacted, the district police super said the district administration has taken strict measures to protect the Ahmadiyyas and will deploy paramilitary BDR and Armed Police to thwart any untoward incidents on Sunday.
Source: http://www.thedailystar.net/2005/04/16/d50416011515.htm |
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