All sculptures in country will be torn down

Hefajat chief Junaid Babunagari yesterday threatened to pull down and destroy all the sculptures no matter which party puts those up.

The prime minister said the country would be run by the Madina Sanad, he added, "We appreciate it. There is no mention of sculptures in Madina Sanad. Sculpture, no matter who it is of or which party makes it, we will take it down and smash [it]."

The Hefajat e Islam Ameer was addressing a mahfil in Hathazari, Chattogram. 

Joint secretary general of the organisation, Mamunul Haque, who was supposed to attend the programme, didn't go to Hathazari amid demonstrations by mostly Bangladesh Chhatra League activists.

Hundreds of BCL leaders and activists took to the streets in Chattogram to prevent Mamunul from attending the event.

Mamunul angered many after reportedly speaking against the sculptures of Bangabandhu earlier this month.

Babunagari said Mamunul didn't attend the event "for the sake of peace". 

Law enforcers remained vigilant in the upazila to maintain law and order.

Several hundred BCL leaders and activists went to Airport Road in Patenga around 10:00am. At a rally held there, Mohiuddin Bachchu, convener of Chattogram City Jubo League, said Mamunul would be resisted in Chattogram.

Chittagong University BCL activists kept Chattogram-Hathazari road blocked by burning tyres for half an hour from 10:30am while Chattogram District North BCL demonstrated at Oxygen intersection in the afternoon.

Earlier on Thursday, BCL leaders and activists held a rally in front of Chattogram Press Club, denouncing Mamunul.

The three-day mahfil Mamunul was going to attend was organised by Al Amin Sangstha on the premises of Hathazari Parbati Model Government High School.

Zakaria Dastagir, general secretary of Chattogram city BCL, told The Daily Star yesterday morning that Mamunul was trying to create anarchy in the country.

BCL sources said their central committee leaders asked them to avoid engaging in clashes anywhere.

Babunagari said government officials had contacted Hefajat over the unrest. "We told them that we are in favour of maintaining pace and order."

He said, "A quarter tore Mamunul's picture and burnt his effigy despite knowing that Mamunul would not join the mahfil. It is our earnest request to the government to bring the perpetrators under the purview of law and bring them to book."