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Leaders of the ruling Awami League are taking a tough stance on the sculpture debate. Top leaders of the Awami League have commented against the statement by Allama Junaid Babungari, Ameer from Bangladesh Hefazat-e-Islami.
Although top leaders of the Awami League have not commented directly on the issue for so long, the party’s general secretary, Obaidul Quader, and deputy general secretary, Mahbubul Alam Hanif, on Saturday voiced their opposition to the comments against the sculptures.
For nearly two months, Islamist parties have opposed plans to build a sculpture of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in Dhaka’s Dolaipar Square. However, the emir of Hifazat-e-Islami clarified his position in harsh language for the first time on Friday.
At a conference in Chittagong’s Hathazari on Friday, the Emir of Hifazat-e-Islami Bangladesh said: “If any sculpture is made, it will be dragged down.”
Following the statements of the Emir of Hefazat-e-Islami, some of the top leaders of the ruling Awami League have protested against the statements.
What are the leaders of the Awami League saying?
On Saturday morning, Awami League Secretary General Obaidul Quader said: “Some religious leaders are making arrogant statements that the sculpture of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman will be dragged down.”
He said: “We regard the intentional and unintentional statement by a religious sectarian group about the sculpture of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as a challenge to the spirit of the great liberation war, the culture and tradition of this country. They are trying to create hatred among religious people by misinterpreting Islam.
Meanwhile, the deputy general secretary of the Awami League, Mahbubul Alam Hanif, said: “It is an attempt to spread extremism and militancy.”
“There are sculptures in many Muslim countries around the world, including Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Turkey and Pakistan,” he said. Why can’t there be sculpture in Bangladesh? By saying that extremist and militant speech, they are making the religion of peace like Islam controversial to the people and trying to spread the madness like idiots. Neither the government nor the people will tolerate it.
However, some leaders of the Awami League have commented on the issue, but neither the party nor any of its affiliates have so far made an official statement on the ongoing conflict over the sculpture.
Islamist parties have been organizing protests and rallies since early October over plans to build a sculpture of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at the Dolaipar facility in the capital. However, the issue came up after the top leader of the Khilafah Majlis spoke at a conference in Dhaka on November 13.
At the time, he warned the government that if the sculpture did not deviate from the plan, another incident would occur at Shapla Chattar and the sculpture would be scrapped. His statement created unrest in the Awami League.
Although the Awami League did not officially respond, the party’s general secretary said they were monitoring the situation.
It is worth mentioning that the Chhatra League and the Juba League began to react against Allama Mamunul Haque in different parts of the country. The BCL also demonstrated in the center of Dhaka and threatened to retaliate against the sculptors.
Source: BBC
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