Staff Reporter :
Hefazat-e-Islam and some other Islamic parties are thinking of taking to the street again centering the state religion issue, sources said.
Hefazat-e-Islam has already announced of bringing out countrywide protest procession and holding rally tomorrow (Friday) demanding dismissal of the writ petition filed with the High Court challenging the legality of the Constitutional provision that gives Islam the status of state religion.
The court is likely to hear a rule on the inclusion of Islam as the state religion in the Constitution through the Eighth Amendment. A larger High Court bench will hear the rule on Sunday, which was issued by two-member bench in 2011 asking as to why the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution should not be annulled.
According to the sources, the Hefazat and other Islamic parties may call hartal if the court pronounces verdict against Islam as the status of state religion. A chaotic situation may be created centering the issue.
Hefazat leaders said, if the court’s verdict goes against the state religion, they would launch tougher movement. Even they will be compelled to call countrywide hartal. They asked the government to stop the move and to go for a referendum to solve the situation if needed.
Hefazat’s Secretary General Junaid Babunagari said, “Islam as a state religion is definitely a democratic right, as it is in favour of the majority. If necessary, the matter should be resolved through a referendum. We abide by the court, but we hope it will not take any decision that may force the religious people to take to the streets.”
Secretary General of Bangladesh Masjid Mission Dr Maulana Khalilur Rahman Madani said that a vested quarter in the government was trying to achieve their evil goal by any means. It will be a very bad example if the court scraps the state religion from the Constitution. The Islamic parties will try to forge a united tougher movement, including calling hartal and other programmes, against such move, he said.
Chairman of Islami Oikya Jote Maulana Abdul Latif Nejami said that the court dismissed a similar petition in 1988. Then why would the court accept it now? If the court’s verdict goes against Islam, then chaos might break out, he observed. He said that his party will also launch street programme if needed.
Secretary General of Bangladesh Khelafat Andolan Maulana Zafrullah Khan said that atheism would be established in the country if Islam is dropped from the Constitution as the state religion. “We won’t sit idle if the such step is taken,” he said.
Hefazat-e-Islam and some other Islamic parties are thinking of taking to the street again centering the state religion issue, sources said.
Hefazat-e-Islam has already announced of bringing out countrywide protest procession and holding rally tomorrow (Friday) demanding dismissal of the writ petition filed with the High Court challenging the legality of the Constitutional provision that gives Islam the status of state religion.
The court is likely to hear a rule on the inclusion of Islam as the state religion in the Constitution through the Eighth Amendment. A larger High Court bench will hear the rule on Sunday, which was issued by two-member bench in 2011 asking as to why the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution should not be annulled.
According to the sources, the Hefazat and other Islamic parties may call hartal if the court pronounces verdict against Islam as the status of state religion. A chaotic situation may be created centering the issue.
Hefazat leaders said, if the court’s verdict goes against the state religion, they would launch tougher movement. Even they will be compelled to call countrywide hartal. They asked the government to stop the move and to go for a referendum to solve the situation if needed.
Hefazat’s Secretary General Junaid Babunagari said, “Islam as a state religion is definitely a democratic right, as it is in favour of the majority. If necessary, the matter should be resolved through a referendum. We abide by the court, but we hope it will not take any decision that may force the religious people to take to the streets.”
Secretary General of Bangladesh Masjid Mission Dr Maulana Khalilur Rahman Madani said that a vested quarter in the government was trying to achieve their evil goal by any means. It will be a very bad example if the court scraps the state religion from the Constitution. The Islamic parties will try to forge a united tougher movement, including calling hartal and other programmes, against such move, he said.
Chairman of Islami Oikya Jote Maulana Abdul Latif Nejami said that the court dismissed a similar petition in 1988. Then why would the court accept it now? If the court’s verdict goes against Islam, then chaos might break out, he observed. He said that his party will also launch street programme if needed.
Secretary General of Bangladesh Khelafat Andolan Maulana Zafrullah Khan said that atheism would be established in the country if Islam is dropped from the Constitution as the state religion. “We won’t sit idle if the such step is taken,” he said.
