2 more top Hefazat leaders arrested

Two more top leaders of Islamist hardliner, Hefazat-e-Islam, were arrested from Dhaka’s Mohammadpur on Wednesday, reports UNB.

Maulana Khurshid Alam Kasemi, nayeb-e-ameer of Khilafat Majlish and vice-president of Hefazat-e-Islam, were arrested in the evening.

Maulana Ataullah Amin, assistant general secretary of Hefazat’s Dhaka city unit and joint secretary general of Bangladesh Khilafat Majlish, was held in the early hours of the day.

Also, Mufti Sharafat Hossain, joint general secretary of Khilafat Majlish, was arrested from Kafrul on the same day at 5:00pm.

Iftekharul Islam, additional deputy commissioner (media) of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police confirmed the arrests.

On Tuesday, Maulana Qurban Ali Kasemi, vice-president of Hefazat-e-Islam and joint secretary general of Khilafat Majlish, was also arrested from Dhaka’s Basabo.

On 18 April, Hefazat’s joint secretary general Mamunul Haq was arrested from a Mohammadpur madrasa.

A number of top Hefazat leaders were arrested recently following vandalism and arson carried out by the organisation’s supporters across the country protesting at Indian prime minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Bangladesh in March.

Other arrested leaders include Hefazat’s Dhaka city unit president Junaid Al-Habib, vice-president Maulana Jubair Ahmed, assistant general secretary Jalaluddin Ahmed, assistant publicity secretary Sharifullah and organising secretary Azizul Haque Islamabadi.