Separate Ijtema can bring peace

After Saturday's factional clash of Tabligh Jamaat at the Ijtema ground, one group yesterday suggested that separate Biswa Ijtema could be arranged for the feuding factions.

It said peace between the two groups could be achieved if Tabligh was reunited or the country's largest Islamic congregation was held separately.

Both groups can hold the Bishaw Ijtema at Tongi separately in a specified time if unity is not possible, said Maulana Ashraf Ali, a murubbi (leader) of Tabligh men loyal to Indian scholar Maulana Saad Kandhalvi.

He was addressing a press conference at Dhaka Reporters Unity to describe Saturday's infighting that left one person killed and more than 200 injured.

Two cases have been filed with Tongi West police over the clash in the last two days.

The pro-Saad faction blamed inaction of the authorities concerned for the yearlong crisis and urged the prime minster to intervene and stop the violence before it spreads to other areas.

Ali alleged that their men are being attacked in different localities by their rivals.

Two factions -- one loyal to Saad and the other to Maulana Zubair -- faced off on December 1 over control of the Ijtema venue for holding a five-day Jor Ijtema, a gathering organised ahead of the two-phase Bishaw Ijtema.

Saad played a key role in Tabligh affairs in the past. However, Shura members in India and Bangladesh have become sharply divided over his alleged controversial statements more than a year ago.

The pro-Zubair faction even compelled the government to keep Saad away from last year's congregation. Qawmi madrasa-based Hefajat-e Islam reportedly backs this faction.

The pro-Saad faction yesterday proposed that both groups should do their activities separately in mosques and also organise Ijtema in Tongi separately with their chosen leaders from home and abroad.

Maulana Ali urged everyone to stop spreading propaganda against each other and involving madrasa students or teachers in the conflict.

He claimed that their men were gathering on nearby roads of the venue on Saturday to attend the Jor Ijtema but were forced to self defend when under attacked with brick chunks and stones.

“Those who are involved in the conflict were not seen in the Tabligh Jamaat even two to three years ago,” he said, adding that a third party was instigating the violence.

“Tabligh is considered a platform of peace and honour and people used to send their sons here. But the present atrocities may raise questions whether Tabligh is doing good deeds,” he observed.

On Sunday, the Zubair faction alleged that pro-Saad Tabligh men attacked them and beat them up indiscriminately, injuring several hundred madrasa students and Tabligh men.

They demanded arrest of the attackers, compensation, and treatment of the injured and banning some leaders of their rival faction from the Kakrail Mosque.

Following the clash, the home minister imposed a ban on entry to the venue and police took control of the ground.

TWO CASES FILED

Sub-inspector Rakibul Islam of Tongi West police filed a case accusing 25,000 unnamed people on Sunday night.

Maulana Abdul Wahab, a follower of Zubair, filed another case against 28 named and 200 unnamed people for attacking him.

Emdadul Haque, officer-in-charge of the police station, said a son of deceased Ismail Mandal would file a murder case on completion of his father's burial.

Ismail's son Jahid Hassan came to yesterday's press conference and said he would file the case to get justice for his father's murder.