Thousands of Muslims in Dhaka and elsewhere in Bangladesh staged demonstration on Friday afternoon protesting against offensive remarks on Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (SM) by two leaders of the Indian ruling Hindu nationalist political party, Bharatiya Janata Party.
The protesters also urged the people of the country to boycott Indian products and vowed to march towards Indian High Commission in Dhaka to protest against the remarks of the Indian ruling party leaders’ remarks.
In Dhaka, different Islamic organizations held protests in front of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque, Paltan intersections and its adjacent areas after Jumma prayer while several thousand mosque-goers participated.
The protesters criticised the Bangladesh government for lodging no protest to India authorities against the remarks of the two BJP leaders.
At the centre of this controversy is Nupur Sharma, who was a spokesperson of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party. She made the remark in a televised debate last month, and videos of her statement had gone viral. Naveen Jindal, who was media head of the party’s Delhi unit, had also posted a provocative tweet over the issue.
The Muslim devotees burnt an effigy of Nupur Sharma and demanded arrest and punishment of her by the Indian authorities.
DMP Motijheel division deputy commissioner Abdul Ahad said that the demonstration and procession continued for nearly two hours which halted traffic movements at different major roads in the city. No untoward incident was reported.
New Age Staff Correspondent in Chattogram reported that different Islamic groups on Friday protested at the comments on the prophet.
After the Jumma prayers, people brought out processions at Chattogram city’s different areas including Anderkilla, Jamalkhan, WASA Circle, GEC circle, Bahaddarhat.
People in different upazilas in Chattogram including Lohagara, Hathazari, Mirsharai, Patiya also brought out procession protesting at the comments. Md Jahidul Kabir, officer-in-charge of Kotwali police station, told New Age that several thousand people brought out procession from Anderkilla Jame Mosque and Jamiatul Falah Jame Mosque.
The protest programme ended peacefully.
– With New Age input
