Ahmed Shafi laid to rest

Allama Shah Ahmed Shafi, Hathazari madrasah rector and chief of Hefazat-e-Islam, was laid to rest at Hathazari madrasah graveyard in Chattogram on Saturday afternoon, reports UNB.

The namaz-e-janaza of Allama Shafi was held on the madrasah premises with participation of thousands of people and supporters of Hefazat.

His eldest son Mohammad Yusuf Madani conducted the namaz-e-janaza around 2:00pm.

Later, he was buried at the madrasah graveyard.

People came from different parts of the country to attend the janaza. Some top Islamic scholars of the country were present at the janaza.

Due to huge crowd inside the madrasah, the coffin carrying the body was taken from the madrasah ground to a local bungalow.

Funeral prayers were conducted from there.

Earlier, the vehicle carrying his body reached the madrasah premises at 10:00am on Saturday.

Meanwhile security was tightened in four upazilas of Chattogram to avoid any untoward situation over the burial of Ahmed Shafi.

Allama Shafi breathed his last at a hospital in the capital on Friday evening at the age of 104, within 24 hours of resignation from his post at the Hathazari madrasah in the face of student protests.

Sources at the Chattogram district administration said additional police and members of Bangladesh Border Guard (BGB) and Rapid Action Battalion were deployed in Hathazari, Patiya, Rangunia and Fatikchhari upazilas.

Besides, seven magistrates were deployed to maintain law and order in the upazilas from Saturday morning.

Shah Ahmad Shafi was the rector of Al-Jamiatul Alia Darul Unum Moinul Islam Hathazari, to give the institution its full name, and also the chairman of Bangladesh Qawmi Madrasah Education Board.

He was born in 1916 (1334-35 AH) in Rangunia of Chattogram and was educated at Hathazari madrasah and Darul Uloom Deoband.

Shafi started his career as a teacher at Hathazari madrasah in Chittagong.