36 Hefazat men accused of killing Ahmad Shafi
A complaint case has been filed against 36 leaders and activists of Hezafat-e-Islam, accusing them of killing the Hefazat amir Shah Ahmad Shafi. Md Moinuddin, the brother-in-law of the deceased leader, filed the case on Thursday at the court of the Chattogram judicial magistrate Shiplu Kumar Dey. The complainant does not hold any post in Hefazat-e-Islam.
The 36 accused in the case include Hefazat-e-Islam’s joint secretary general Maulana Mamunul Huq, Nasir Uddin Munir, organising secretary Azizul Huq Islamabadi, deputy organising secretary Mir Idris, assistant secretary general Habib Ullah, assistant finance secretary Ahsan Ullah, publicity secretary Zakaria Noman Fayezi, and personal assistant (khadem) of the current Hefazat Amir Junaid Babunagari, Enamul Hasan. All of them are Hefazat men.
The plaintiff’s lawyer Abu Hanif told Prothom Alo that the case has been filed for the pre-planned murder of Ahmad Shafi. The court has directed the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) to probe the case.
The charges state that even though Ahmad Shafi was unwell, he had been confined to his room at Hathazari madrasah in Chattogram. At the directives of the accused, his room was attacked and vandalised. The ambulance carrying Ahmad Shafi was not allowed to leave the madrasah grounds. Enamul Hasan Faruki was instrumental in blocking the exit of the ambulance.
Hefazat-e-Islam’s publicity secretary Zakaria Noman Fayezi, speaking to Prothom Alo, said, “The madrasah students had been demonstrating for their rightful demands. This was a matter of the Hathazari madrasah. This had nothing to do with any directives from Hefazat leaders. We have not seen the charges made in the case. Once we see these, an official statement will be made.”
The Hefazat-e-Islam leader Shah Ahmad Shafi died on 18 September this year. Students of the Hathazari madrasah in Chattogram had begun demonstrating from after Zohr prayers on 16 September with a six-point demand, including the removal of Shafi’s son Anas Madani as a teacher of the institute.
The students locked all the entrances of the madrasah. They also beat up Hefazat’s former joint secretary general Moinuddin Ruhi who was inside the madrasah at the time.
In face of the students’ demands, Ahmad Shafi resigned as the madrasah’s director general and the shura committee removed Anas Madani as teacher of the institute. With the demands being met, the students ended there demonstration that evening.
After Shafi’s death, discussions arose within the organisation over the election of the next amir. A faction of Hefazat men loyal to Anas Madani held separate press briefings in Dhaka and Chattogram on 14 November, questioning Hefazat-e-Islam’s delegate council.
Brother-in-law of Ahmad Shafi, Mohammad Moinuddin, held a press briefing at Chattogram press club. Hefazat’s joint secretary general Mufti Faizullah held a press conference at the National Press Club in Dhaka.
Junaid Babunagari was elected the new Hefazat amir at the 15 November council. He had been joint secretary of the organisation. Neither Anas Madani nor any of his followers were given place in the 151-member committee.