Awami Olama League wants ban on BPL

Bangladesh Awami Olama League yesterday demanded Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) be banned, claiming that the popular cricketing event was “producing gamblers”.

The organisation, which claims to be pro-ruling Awami League, also called for “identifying” all non-government organisations and their activists who are working to root out child marriage from the country. It termed them “anti-Islam”.

According to the organisation, there was also no need for establishing a “minority affairs ministry” and formulating a “minority protection law” because “those would be discriminatory and communal”.

The demands were raised at a human chain in front of the Jatiya Press Club  organised by Olama League and 13 other “like-minded” organisations, said a press release.

Hours later, the AL said media reports on Olama League's demand for banning BPL came to the party's attention.

“We want to clearly say that at present Bangladesh Awami League has no affiliated organisation called Awami Olama League and the party has no such committee at any level by that name. Awami League has no relation with the published reports,” the AL said in a statement signed by the party's Office Secretary Abdus Sobhan Golap.

The party also called for taking appropriate actions against those engaged in activities that go against its principles, the statement said.

Formation of a national minority commission and formulation of a minority protection law are among the electoral pledges of the AL.

Olama League is said to be divided into two factions. The faction led by Abdul Hasan Sheikh Shariatpuri came up with the demands yesterday.

On April 9 in 2016, the same Olama League faction had called for a ban on the Bangla New Year festival terming it haram (forbidden in Islam) and urged the government to cancel the festival bonus for Pahela Baishakh, saying the allowance should instead be given to Muslims on the occasion of Eid-e-Miladunnabi.

The faction also demanded revoking the minimum marriageable age for girls, making a law with a provision of death penalty for demeaning Islam, banning the CHT Commission, taking all Indian TV channels in Bangladesh off-air and cancelling the education policy and Vested Property Return (amendment) Act.

In February 2017, Hefajat-e Islam, Olama League and Muhammad Arifur Rahman, who claimed to be the editor of news portal bishwabarta.com, had demanded immediate removal of a sculpture of what they claimed to be a Greek idol installed in front of the country's apex court.

Shariatpuri and Arifur sent a letter to the Registrar General of the Supreme Court on February 2 that year demanding removal of the sculpture.

In face of the demand, the Supreme Court authority later removed the sculpture and installed it at another place on the SC premises.