Happy Hefajat to target all sculptures

Emboldened by the removal of the statue of Lady Justice from the Supreme Court premises, Hefajat-e Islami leaders yesterday said they now want to gear up their agitation against all "idols" in the country.

They said they would keep mounting pressure on the government to realise their 13-point demand of 2013.

Removal of all statues, what they term "idols", is one of their demands.  

Leaders of the Qawmi madrasa-based organisation told The Daily Star that they would come up with new agitation programmes after Ramadan, which begins today.  

"We are now happy as we have achieved primary victory following the removal of the Greek idol from the Supreme Court premises," said Azizul Hoque Islamabadi, central organising secretary of Hefajat.

"Our victory will not be complete until all idols are removed from the country," he said, adding, "Our senior leaders will sit together to chalk out tougher agitation programmes against all idols and for realising our demands."   

Nur Hossain Kasemi, convenor of Dhaka city unit of Hefajat, said “idols” have been built at the intersections of the capital.  "We want to save the country from the idol culture," he said.

Asked to define "idols", Azizul Hoque said in their view idols mean all sculptures that look like human beings or animals.