Staff Reporter :
Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh staged a big showdown in the capital city on Monday registering their protest on the issue of publishing cartoons in France defaming the Prophet of Islam Hazrat Mohammad (pbuh).
Several thousand activists of Hefazat-e-Islam gathered near the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque around 12 am. The protesters even were scheduled to lay siege to the France Embassy. But police foiled the attempt.
Long tailback of traffic was seen in some important parts of city due to the huge demonstration of Hefazat-e-Islam.
Vehicular movement from the city’s Baitul Mukarram National Mosque, Paltan area to Nightingale intersection remained suspended since morning, causing immense sufferings to commuters.
During the protests, leaders of Hefazat-e-Islam urged the leaders of the Muslim majority countries of the world to cut off diplomatic ties with France and boycott their products for insulting Prophet Muhammad (SM).
Hefazat-e-Islam Secretary General Junaid Babunagari made the call from a rally held in front of the north entrance of the Baitul Mukarram national mosque.
“France insulted our Prophet. We ask everyone to boycott French products. Keep French products under your feet,” Babunagari said.
He also demanded that the Bangladesh government sever all diplomatic ties with France protesting the display of a caricature of Prophet Muhammad.
Earlier in the day several thousand leaders and activists of Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh gathered in front of national mosque Baitul Mukarram to protest French President Emmanuel Macron’s remarks criticising Islam and French cartoons caricaturing the Prophet Mohammed (SM).
After holding the rally, Hefazat men began their march toward the French embassy. However, police intercepted the procession in Shantinagar area around 12:45pm. Later leaders of the organization called off the march after offering munajat (prayer).
Condemning the satirical cartoons, insulting Prophet Mohammad (Pbuh), in France, BNP on Sunday expressed solidarity with the protests by people of all races and religions and the Muslim Ummah against such a dreadful crime.
Earlier this month, president Macron pledged to fight “Islamist separatism”, which he said, was threatening to take control in some Muslim communities around France.
He also described Islam as a religion “in crisis” worldwide and said the government would present a bill in December to strengthen a 1905 law that officially separated church and state in France, reports Qatar-based Al Jazeera.
Protesting the recent remarks made by President Emmanuel Macron against Islam, Hashtags such as the #Boycott French Products in different language including English and the Arabic trended across countries, including Bangladesh, Kuwait, Qatar, Palestine, Egypt, Algeria, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey.
