Use of religion in Gazipur too

The main opposition BNP and Hefajat-e Islam are again using the religious sentiments of the majority to secure votes in favour of BNP-backed mayoral candidate MA Mannan in the Gazipur City Corporation election scheduled for July 6.
Similar tactics had been used against ruling Awami League-backed mayoral candidates ahead of the Rajshahi, Khulna, Barisal and Sylhet city corporation elections on June 15, and the AL favourites were defeated in all of them by their rivals supported by the BNP-led alliance.
Alleging that Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina and its leaders and activists patronize atheists, BNP and Hefajat men have been urging people to vote for Mannan to "protect Islam".
At public gatherings, Hefajat leaders claim that the government killed hundreds of Muslims at their May 5 rally in the capital's Shapla Chattar, and call on people to give a reply against the "genocide" through ballots.
"They [the government] killed hundreds of Muslims who were sleeping and offering prayers at Shapla Chattar," said Nasiruddin, joint general secretary of Gazipur district Hefajat-e Islam, while addressing a rally yesterday near Pagar Fakir Market in Tongi industrial area.
He claimed five Alems of Gazipur had been killed on the day and so if people of Gazipur made any wrong decision on the election day, they would betray those "martyrs".
"On the instructions of our Ameer Allama Shah Ahmad Shafi, we have to help MA Mannan win the election in revenge for the blood of our martyred brothers,” said Nasiruddin.
He said mayoral candidate Ajmat Ullah Khan supported by the AL-led grand alliance was confusing people by introducing some religious persons accompanying him as Hefajat men.
"But I categorically say no Hefajat man is with Ajmat.  Those religious men are brokers of the Awami League."
Echoing Nasiruddin, BNP chairperson's adviser Ahmed Azam Khan said the government in the last four and a half years had been torturing Alem-Olama and patronizing atheists.
“If you want to protect Islam and democracy, you will have to vote for the 18-party alliance-backed candidate.”
At the rally, where MA Mannan along with other BNP leaders was present, some people chanted "Hefajat-e Islam Zindabad" and “Naraya-e Takbir, Allah hu Akbar".
Earlier on Wednesday, Fazlur Rahman, general secretary of Hefazat-e Islam, Gazipur district, at a rally said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had lost faith in Allah.
Her government carried out bloodshed by attacking Muslims on May 5 at Shapla Chattar and that was why her party-led candidates faced defeat in the four city corporation polls, Fazlur said.
"Hasina will also face such a debacle in the Gazipur election,” he noted.