Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat, Bangladesh says Islamist organisations that had threatened the Ahmadiyyas on various occasions in the last few years might be behind the three concurrent bomb explosions in Dhaka, Chittagong and Sylhet on May 1. At a press conference at its central office in the city, Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat said Alami Majlish-e-Tahfuje Khatme Nabuwat, Khatme Nabuwat Sangrakkhan Committee, International Khatme Nabuwat Movement Bangladesh, Amra Dhakabashi and Jahase Mostaba might be involved in the explosions.
The press conference was organised against the backdrop of the ultimatum issued by Jadid al-Qaeda, which asked the Ahmadiyyas to acknowledge by May 10 that Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (SM) is the last and greatest prophet. The Ahmadiyya Jamaat observes that the anti-Ahmadiyya elements have roots in Pakistan and Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh endorses these elements from behind the scenes. "We suspect that the above mentioned organisations including the Jadid al Qaeda have the same origin and urge the government to investigate the matter and reveal the facts," said Maulana Abdul Awwal Khan Chowdhury, Naeb Ameer of Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat, Bangladesh.
It is imperative for the government to find out if there are any similarities between the May 1 explosions and various other militant activities and threats by the anti-Ahmadiyya elements in the last few years, said Ahmad Tabshir Chowdhury, coordinator of public relations division, in his written speech. The anti-Ahmadiyya forces killed seven of its members by bombing one of Ahmadiyya mosques in Khulna in 1999. In 2003, they killed an Imam in Jessore, committed atrocities against the community and set fire to many Ahmadiyya structures all over the country, he said.
Ahmad Tabshir said, "We believe that Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (SM) is the last and greatest prophet and there will not be any more advent of any other prophet. The propaganda against our belief therefore is intentional and false and it is due to ignorance." There is only one difference between the Ahmadiyya Jamaat and other sects (Firkas) of the Muslims, he said explaining, "We believe that Hazrat Imam Mahdi (A) has already appeared, but the others are still waiting for His appearance -- an event that was foretold by Hazrat Mohammad (SM)."
This difference cannot determine that the Ahmadiyya Jamaat cannot practise Islam, said Naeb Ameer of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat, adding that this is an artificial crisis imported from Pakistan and it is being imposed on the Ahmadiyyas in Bangladesh. "These elements from Pakistan are spreading the poison of communalism in Bangladesh, which traditionally is known as the land of harmonious co-existence," he said.
He also said that the militants are in fact against Islam and the nation. "Please identify the reasons behind the creation of such militant outfits and root out these outfits to uphold the tradition of co-existence here."
Asked if there should be any religion-based politics in Bangladesh, Maulana Abdul Awwal said in the context of present day, politics and religion cannot go together..."water and oil cannot mix." |
