Staff Reporter :Inspector General of Police (IGP) AKM Shahidul Hoque on Saturday sought cooperation from the country’s Alem-Ulema-Mashayekh in reining in the militants involved in killing innocent people through misinterpretation of Islam.”We want cooperation from the Alem community to counter those involved in hampering public safety as well as killing people misinterpreting Islam. Create awareness against them,” the IGP said.He was addressing a meeting titled ‘Militancy from the point of view of Islam: Bangladesh Perspective’ with the country’s Islamic scholars at the Police Headquarters.Principals of different Alia madrasahs, khatibs and imams of different mosques and Islamic scholars attended the meeting.The police chief said: “It’s a threat for Islam that a section of people has been misguiding our youths and students through misinterpretation of the religion.” The government does not want to control religious affairs, he said, adding: “But, we want reflection of the real philosophy of Islam so that no one can hamper public safety through its misinterpretation.”The IGP urged the Islamic scholars to harbour the true spirit of Islam through waz mahfils to face anti-Islamic propaganda, saying the police will provide security in this regard.As some ulema alleged that a section of people is involved in spreading anti-Islamic activities, AKM Shahidul Hoque ordered the intelligence agencies to identify mosques and madrasahs where anti-Islamic propaganda is being carried out.As they also alleged that satellite television, Peace TV, instigates militancy through airing extreme contents, the IGP said the channel should be banned in Bangladesh if it does so.DMP Commissioner Asaduzzaman Mia, Additional IGP of Special Branch Javed Patwari, Maulana Kamal Uddin Azhari, Principal Maulana Kafil Uddin Sarker Salehi, Maulana SM Farid Uddin, Dr Alhaj Maulana ANM Mahbubur Rahman, Maulana Shah Sufi Syed Mohammad Bahadur Shah and Maulana Khwaja Arifur Rahman were, among others, present.
