Mamunul reaches Ctg amid declaration of resistance

Hefazat-e-Islam leader Maulana Mamunul Haque on Friday reached Chattogram amid a tensed situation after ruling Awami League's different associate bodies declared and prepared to resist him from entering the city.

Hefazat's organising secretary Azizul Haque Islamabadi said Mamunul reached Hathazari Madrasah in the district by road at 8:30am.

"He is currently staying at Hathazari Baro Madrasa and scheduled to address the Tafsirul Quran Mahfil as the chief guest at 7pm today (Friday)," he added.

Earlier on Thursday, speakers at a rally declared to resist Mamunul from entering Chattogram after, around two weeks ago, he opposed the installation of a Bangabandhu sculpture at an intersection in Dhaka.

The rally was organised by "Anti-Militancy Students and Youth Unity Council" on the Chattogram Press Club premises. Various pieces of information about Mamunul's presence started spreading during the night.

Since the morning, hundreds of Bangladesh Chhatra League and Juba League leaders and activists took position in front of Chattogram airport to resist Mamunul Haque. Chhatra League's Chattogram city unit's activists took position at the Oxygen corner of the city from noon.

Mohiuddin Bachchu, convener of city Juba League, said hundreds of leaders and activists took position on the road from morning till noon. "When we heard he was coming to Chattogram by road, we left the airport," he added.

Hathazari Upazila Nirbahi Officer Ruhul Amin said, "I do not know about Mamunul Haque's position. However, the local administration is careful to keep the situation under control following directives of the government. A large number of law enforcers, including additional policemen, have been deployed to avoid any untoward situation," he added.

An organisation named Al Amin Sangstha organised a three-day Tafsirul Quran Mahfil at the Hathazari Parbati Government High School ground from Wednesday to Friday. Hefazat's joint secretary Maulana Mamunul was scheduled to be the chief speaker on the last day of the mahfil (Friday) and Hefazat Amir Allama Junaid Babunagri was scheduled as the chief guest.

Recently, different issues centring Hefazat-e-Islam came to fore. The dispute over the leadership of late Amir Shah Ahmad Shafi, his resignation from post, presence of top Jamaat leaders at Shafi's janaza and Mamunul's role behind establishing Junaid Babungari's authority as Amir have been reported in the media.

Mamunul Haque, acting secretary general of the Bangladesh Khilafat Majlis and central president of Bangladesh Khilafat Juba Majlis, has been appointed joint secretary general in the newly announced Hefazat-e-Islam committee.

In the second week of November, at a meeting, Mamunul demanded an immediate halt to the process of installing a sculpture of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at Dholair Par area in the capital.

His remarks sparked strong reactions from different associate bodies of the ruling party.

Deputy Minister for Education and lawmaker from Chattogram-9 constituency Mahibul Hasan Chowdhury Nawfel, at a function in the port city on 15 November, warned of strict actions against those who opposed the installation of Bangabandhu's sculpture, if they did not apologise.