Immediately after the Prime Minister’s call to postpone its Dhaka siege programme scheduled for May 5, Ameer of Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh (HIB) Maulana Ahmad Shafi on Friday said they would go ahead with their programme. “There was no assurance and directive about implementation of Hefazat’s 13-point demands in prime minister’s speech during her press conference. Rather, the Prime Minister tried to mislead the nation by making self-contradictory statement and bypassing the demands. That’s why we express our firm determination to continue the siege programme,” the HIB ameer who reached Dhaka on Friday afternoon from Chittagong, said in statement.
The HIB chief called upon the faithful and patriotic people of the country to join the Dhaka siege programme with enthusiasm.
He also pointed out that HIB members were actively participating in the rescue operation at Savar and their effort would continue.
He announced that the movement of all kinds of vehicles engaged in the rescue operation at Savar would be out of the purview of the blockade.
He also alleged that in her speech the prime minister did not mention anything about the re-insertion of the words ‘Complete and the deepest faith upon Allah’ in the Constitution.
“Though the prime minister said that she was not aware of any incident of repression on the Alems and Olamas the reality is different. Ten Alems participated in the HIB movement have been killed and many Alems were terminated from their services as they were supporters of HIB” he said.
The statement also expressed sheer dissatisfaction over government steps regarding taking action against the atheist bloggers.
The HIB will elaborately explain its stance over the PM’s response on Saturday at a press briefing.
Earlier, at a press briefing in the morning the HIB leaders said, they would go ahead with their agitation plans overcoming all odds.
Briefing reporters at the office of the HIB’s Dhaka city unit on Friday morning, Maulana Nur Hossain Kashemi, convenor of the unit, said “The Dhaka siege will be made successful at any cost”.
The Hefazat leader said thousands of faithful Muslims have reached Dhaka and many more are ready to join them. “No obstruction will be able to resist us. We’ll isolate the capital from the rest of the country on that day,” he asserted.
He called upon HIB leaders and activists and devout Muslims to bring out processions at all entry points leading to the capital after fajr prayers on May 5, with jainamaj (prayer mates), Tasbih and dry food in hands.
He also urged the owners and workers of launches and other transports to carry HIB leaders and activists to Dhaka before May 5 and stop plying those on both road and river routes on May 5.
-With The Independent input
