Family, followers of the late Hefazat chief want arrest of the accused and speedy trial in the case
Family members and followers of the late Hefazat-e-Islam chief Shah Ahmad Shafi have claimed that his death was a planned murder.
They have alleged that a vested quarter of the platform is plotting to take conarol of the country’s Qawmi madrasas in order to implement their own “agenda”, and that they will not recognize any committee of the Islamist outfit formed after his demise.
They were speaking at a press conference at the National Press Club in Dhaka on Wednesday, where they placed five demands, including calling for a speedy trial of the accused charged by the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) over Shafi’s death.
“Exerting pressure on Shafi, the troublemakers indulged in vandalism at Hathazari Madrasa, misbehaved with him and tried to deprive him of medicine he needed urgently,” Mufti Fayzullah, former joint secretary general of Hefazat, said.
Hinting at the incumbent kingpin of Hefazat, Zunaid Babunagari, he questioned: “How can an extremist and radical person, who previously resigned from the central committee, retain the post at the so-called convening committee?”
Ahmad Shafi died while being treated at a Dhaka hospital on September 18 last year, a day after stepping down as director general of the Hathazari madrasa in Chittagong.
After his death, followers of Babunagari started to dominate Hefazat, sources said. The PBI on April 12 submitted a report against Babunagari and 42 others in a case filed over the alleged murder of Shafi.
Reading out the demands, Mufti Fayzullah demanded arrest and exemplary punishment of the culprits and the conspirators in the case filed over Ahmad Shafi’s unnatural death.
He also demanded security for Shafi’s family members and followers. “Legal action has to be taken against the offenders who are threatening the family and followers to withdraw the case,” he said.
Nayeb-e-Ameer of Madhupur Pir Maulana Abdul Hamid, Mufti Nurul Amin and Ruhul Amin Khan, Ahmad Shafi’s younger son Anas Madani, Ahmad Shafi’s brother-in-law Md Mohiuddin, former joint secretary general Mainuddin Ruhi, central leader Abul Hasanat Amini, Altaf Hossain and others were present at the press conference.
On December 17, a case was filed against 36 people over the death of Shafi.
Md Mainuddin filed the case with the Third Chittagong Judicial Magistrate Court, calling his death “a planned murder”.
The court had ordered the PBI to file an investigation report within a month.
The PBI, while investigating the case, examined both digital and forensic evidence, and took the statements of a total of 22 people.
According to the case document, Shafi, despite his illness, was confined to Hathazari Madrasa and the accused vandalized his room. The ambulance carrying Shafi was obstructed and In’amul Hasan Faruqi played a key role in the obstruction.
A former director general of Al-Jamiatul Ahlia Darul Ulum, Moinul Islam, said that Ahmad Shafi had been mentally tortured and his oxygen mask removed during the unrest at the madrasa.
