Politics over Baishakh bonus

Bangladesh Awami Olama League, which claims to be affiliated with the ruling Awami League, yesterday called for a halt to Pahela Baishakh celebrations for what they said it being “a non-Islamic festival”.

From a human chain programme in the capital, the organisation also urged the government to stop the festival bonus for Pahela Baishakh celebrations and said the allowance should be provided to Muslims on the occasion of Eid-e-Miladunnabi.

It, however, thanked the government decision to slap a ban on wearing masks during "Mongol Shovajatra" on Dhaka University on Pahela Baishakh, the first day of the Bangla calendar.

The organisation also demanded resignation of the chief justice saying that “a Hindu chief justice in a country where 98 percent people are Muslim is hurting the sentiment of religious Muslims.”

Castigating Information Minister Hasanul Huq Inu for his recent comments on Pahela Baishakh, it asked him to apologise.

Split into three factions, the Olama League uses a floor of the AL central office on Bangabandhu Avenue and often has AL leaders as speakers at its programmes.

However, several AL leaders talking to The Daily Star earlier had claimed that the party had no organisational ties with the Olama League.

According to the AL charter, the party is committed to ensure religious freedom and fundamental human rights irrespective of religion, caste, sex, community and ethnic identity, and to eradicate all shades of communalism.

Yesterday, a faction of Olama League, led by Abdul Hasan Sheikh Shariatpuri, and 12 like-minded organisations formed the human chain in front of the Jatiya Press Club to press home their 10-point demand.

Later, it issued a press release using the official letterhead of the Olama League.

According to the press release, speakers at the programme said Pahela Baishakh celebration is “haram” and “non-Islamic” and “it is an ill attempt to de-Islamise Muslim people”.

“In the name of Pahela Baishakh, stoners of Fine Arts [Faculty], corporate media outlets and capitalist businessmen are doing business. People have to be saved from their exploitations. The national fish hilsa must be saved, stopping Panta-hilsa [culture],” it said.

Pahela Baishakh celebration does not go with the Muslims' sentiment, it said, adding that when the constitution gives Islam the status of state religion, Muslims should be given bonuses on Eid-e-Miladunnabi, stopping the bonus given for the Pahela Baishakh.

In the eighth national pay scale, the Awami League-led government, for the first time, introduced a festival bonus for the Bangla new year, which Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had announced earlier.

Asked why Olama League was opposing the government decision, Abdul Hasan Sheikh Shariatpuri told The Daily Star yesterday that Pahela Baishakh celebration does not go with the Muslims' culture.

The organisation also demanded cancellation of Vested Property Return (amended) Act, saying that Muslim cannot be deprived in the name of Vested Property and Debottar Property.

It also said Education Policy-2010 was “anti-Islamic” and “controversial” and “pro-Hinduism” and no education act could be formulated based on this policy.

The Awami League government enacted both Vested Property Return (amended) Act and National Education Policy-2010.

The education ministry formulated a draft in line with the recommendations of the National Education Policy-2010 and has put the draft on its website for public opinion.