Anti-Ahmadiyya bigots yesterday demanded resignation of State Minister for Home Affairs Lutfozzaman Babar and passing of a censure motion in parliament for Friday's police attacks on its activists. The International Khatme Nabuwat Movement, Bangladesh also demanded an unconditional apology from the government for the attacks. It has threatened to topple the government if their demand of declaring Ahmadiyyas non-Muslim was not met. Meantime, an unknown caller on Friday night threatened to demolish the Ahmadiyya complex in Nirala Residential Area in Khulna.
"The main obstacle to our target is Jamaat-e-Islami," said president of the organisation Mahmudul Hasan Mamtazi yesterday. Some pro-Jamaat police officials were behind the Friday's attacks that left at least 50 activists injured, he claimed. Mamtazi, who is leading the countrywide anti-Ahmadiyya campaigns for over two years, was addressing a rally in protest against Friday's incidents at Baitul Mukarram National Mosque's north gate in the city. At least 57 people including seven policemen were injured in the city on Friday as IKNMB bigots locked in sporadic clashes with the cops. The stretch between the mosque's north gate and south gate turned into a battlefield for over an hour.Nazmul Haq, secretary general of the organisation, said nothing can be expected of State Minister of Religious Affairs Mosharref Hossain Shajahan, who "used to act in theatres." Neither the BNP nor the Awami League wants a solution to the Ahmadiyya issue, fearing an end to the political benefits being gained from the crisis, he added. He said Babar is only serving the interests of the Ahmadiyyas by betraying the "touhidi janata" [agitating people], who voted them to power. He demanded that Babar be replaced by someone, who will look after the interests of the "true Muslims". Terming Friday's attacks heinous, Mamtazi vowed to resist any further attacks on anti-Ahmadiyya activists. "The attacks prove we must carry sticks to counter such attacks," he said.
Mamtazi said although Jamaat was elected from an Islamic platform, they are yet to table a bill in parliament against the Ahmadiyyas. "Had they raised the issue in parliament, the Ahmadiyyas could have been banned long time ago and we would not have had to suffer the police brutality."
IKNMB Nayeb-e-Amir Enayetullah Abbasi warned the government that they it would be deposed before the tenure. "If they continue treating Muslims this way, the barrels of the police and the armed forces will be pointed at them," Abbasi added.