BJP LEADERS’ REMARKS ON PROPHET

Muslims protest across Bangladesh

Urge people to boycott Indian products

Staff Correspondent | Published: 18:27, Jun 10,2022 | Updated: 00:09, Jun 11,2022

 
 

A procession organised by the Islami Andolan Bangladesh marches towards Kakrail in Dhaka on Friday protesting at the recent remarks about the Prophet Mohammad by two Indian ruling party officials. — Sourav Lasker

Thousands of Muslims across the country took to the streets on Friday in protests against offensive remarks on Prophet Muhammad (SM) made by members of the Indian ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.

The protestors demanded the arrest of the persons who made remarks about the prophet and announced a march towards the Indian High Commission in Dhaka on June 16 unless the demand was met.


They also demanded the Bangladesh government formally denounce the remarks in the parliament.

Dhaka’s Mohammadpur police station officer-in-charge and an assistant sub-inspector faced a mob beating at Dhaka Udyan as they asked the protestors to cut short their demonstration programme in the area, said police.

OC Abul Kalam Azad and ASI Jahangir Alam were admitted to the National Institute of Neurosciences & Hospital with head injuries, said Dhaka Metropolitan Police Mohammadpur zone additional deputy commissioner Mrityunjay De Sajal.

Different Islamic organisations also held protests in front of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque, Paltan crossing, Kakrail, and Tejgaon in the capital after the Jumma prayer.

Andolan Bangladesh, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish, Islami Oikya Andolan, Malibagh Islamic Juba Samaj and some other Islamic cultural groups joined the demonstrations in front of Baitul Mukarram Mosque and adjacent areas.

Thousands of people blocked major roads for nearly two hours.

Some protestors held placards asking for a boycott of Indian products and also criticised the Bangladesh government for not lodging any protests to Indian authorities over the matters yet.

Islami Andolan Bangladesh announced the march towards the Indian High Commission on June 16. 

The organisation’s Nayeb-e-Amir Mufti Foyzur Rahman led their protests.

The protestors burnt the effigy of suspended BJP spokeswomen Nupur Sharma, who made derogatory remarks about the prophet.

Nupur made the remarks in a televised debate in May and videos of her statement had gone viral. Naveen Jindal, the sacked media head of BJP’s Delhi unit, had also posted a provocative tweet on the issue.

Khelafat Majlish secretary general Ahmed Abdul Kader alleged that India’s Narendra Modi government had been oppressing Muslims there for years and were carrying out brutal operations in Kashmir.

He said that all the Muslim-majority countries have already lodged their protests to Indian authorities through diplomatic channels, but Bangladesh, despite being a major Muslim-majority country, failed to do so.

The protestors demanded the summoning of the Indian High Commissioner to lodge a formal protest note. 

DMP Motijheel division deputy commissioner Abdul Ahad said that the demonstration and procession rally continued for nearly two hours, halting traffic movements.

No untoward incident took place in Motijheel and Paltan areas, he said, adding that some 20,000 people joined the protest.

New Age Chattogram correspondent reported that different Islamic groups on Friday protested the derogatory comments of BJP leaders in the city.

 After the Jumma prayer, people brought out processions at Chattogram city’s different areas, including Anderkilla, Jamalkhan, WASA Circle, GEC circle, and Bahaddarhat.

 People in different upazilas in Chattogram, including Lohagara, Hathazari, Mirsharai, and Patiya also brought out processions.

Md Jahidul Kabir, OC of Kotwali police station, told New Age that several thousand people brought out a procession from Anderkilla Jame Mosque and Jamiatul Falah Jame Mosque.

The protest programme ended peacefully, he said.

In Narayanganj, demonstrators under the banner of ‘Narayanganj Ulema Parishad’ held a procession on the premises of the DIT Railway Mosque.

They demanded the government take diplomatic steps to condemn the derogatory remarks made by the BJP members.

In Savar, a group of protesters blocked the Dhaka-Aricha Highway in the Savar Bus Stand area after Jumma prayers.

New Age Pabna correspondent reported that different Islamic organisations brought out processions after Jumma prayers from Chanpa Bibi Jame Mosque in the district.

In Magura, the demonstration procession was brought out from Nomani Maydan after the Jumma prayer, reported New Age correspondent in the district.

New Age Feni correspondent reported that the Islami Andolan Bangladesh Feni district unit held a protest rally at Trunk Road of the town after the Asar prayer.

Islami Andolan Bangladesh Thakurgaon unit brought out a procession rally which circled the town after the Jumma prayer.

Similar processions were also brought out in Barishal, Khulna, Manikganj, Cumilla and other parts of the country.

More about:

Want stories like this in your inbox?

Sign up to exclusive daily email

Advertisement

 

Advertisement

images