‘Separate activities in Tabligh Jamaat factions can bring peace’

Amid the confrontational situation between two factions of Tabligh Jamaat, one group today said they do not see peace without division in the Islamic group and separate arrangement of Ijtema and other activities.

“If one group keeps preventing another, how does peace will prevail? There is no option but division to bring peace,” Maulana Ashraf Ali, a leader (Murubbi) belongs to Maulana Saad Kandhalvi, said at a press conference at Dhaka Reporters’ Unity.

He alleged that their men are being attacked and harassed in different parts of the country following the December 1 factional clash that left a man killed and more than 200 injured.

Alleging that the home ministry has recently allowed their rivals to gather in a part of Tongi Maidan, though it banned all types of entry earlier, he said it may lead to fresh violence.

Ashraf alleged that Zubair led faction attacked their men, killed one at the Ijtema ground on December 1, and now they are propagating with circulating fake and photographs of old and foreign incidents.

He further said their two Sura members who use wheelchairs for movement and a Murubbi named Anisur Rahman, who was in India during the clash, were made accused in a case filed by Pro-Zubair Tablig man Maulana Abdul Wahab with Tongi West Police Station.

Ashraf urged everyone to stop involving madrasa students or teachers in the conflict and called upon all to keep Tabligh free from political influence. 

He further alleged that the passports and belongings of some Indonesian nationals, who travelled to Bangladesh ahead of the Bishwa Ijtema, were seized by their rival group.

Contacted, a diplomat of Indonesian embassy in Dhaka confirmed a dozen Indonesians came to the embassy and complained about it.

“We have already spoken with the concerned Bangladesh government officials and Tablig people who seized their passport and it’s now being settled,” he said.

Earlier on December 3, Saad led faction held a press conference and raised almost similar demands.

Two factions had been feuding after Shura members in India and Bangladesh have become sharply divided over Saad’s alleged controversial statements more than a year ago.

The pro-Zubair faction even compelled the government to keep Saad away from last year's congregation. Qawmi madrasa-based Hefajat-e Islam reportedly backs this faction.

A Murubbi of Saad faction yesterday told The Daily Star Maulana Saad would not fly to Bangladesh until the crisis is resolved.