Hefazat demands release of its men by November 30

Hefazat-e-Islam yesterday placed a fresh 13-point demand, including the release of all its arrested leaders and activists and the withdrawal of the cases against them by November 30.

"If the demands are not met, we will go for a tougher movement," said Sajidur Rahman, secretary general of the Qawmi madrasa-based Islamist organisation at its "National Ulama-Masayek" convention held in the capital's Engineers Institute.

Speaking at the event, Hefazat Amir Mohibullah Babunagari said the government must release their leaders if it wants to stay in power.

"If the government does not release our arrested leaders immediately, we do not know where it would end up. If it wants to stay in power, [it must] release my leaders right away."

Azizul Haque, the organisation's joint secretary general, said, "Our leaders Mamunul Haque, Monir Hossain, Fakhruzzaman, and many others have been in jail under false cases for nearly three years.

"Despite getting bails from the courts, our leaders were not released. Fresh cases are being filed to keep them behind bars. It [release of their leaders] has now become a public demand."

At the convention, Hefazat leaders announced the formation of committees at the district, upazila, and metropolitan levels within the next three months.

The organisation is supposed to hold conventions in Chattogram, Sylhet, Brahmanbaria, Narayanganj, and Gazipur by December 31.