Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN)– The daylong nationwide strike, enforced by Sammilito Islami Dal, a coalition of Islamic parties, began at 6:00am on Sunday demanding sacked minister Abdul Latif Siddique’s trial for his disparaging remarks about hajj and Tablig Jamaat.
Vehicular movement is almost normal in the capital city. No unpleasant incident is yet to be reported till this morning.
Islamic parties include Hefajat-e-Islam, Bangladesh Khelafat Andolan, Khilafat Majlish, Khilafat-e-Islam, Islami Oikya Jote, Nejam-e-Islam and Muslim League.
Maulana Zafrullah Khan, secretary general of the coalition, announced the shutdown programme at a press conference at the Jatiya Press Club on Wednesday, as the government has ‘failed’ to arrest Latif within their given deadline for his offensive remarks.
Latif Siddique at a views-exchange meeting with expatriates from Tangail on September 28 in the USA said, “During hajj, so much of manpower is wasted. Over 20 lakh people have gone to Saudi Arabia to perform hajj. They’ve no work, no production and they only cause deduction.”
“Some 20 lakh Tablig Jamaat people get together annually who don’t do any productive work except halting traffic movement across the country,” he added.
Meanwhile, Jamaat-Islami Bangladesh extended its moral support to Sunday’s strike.
In a statement on Saturday, its nayebe ameer Professor Mujibur Rahman announced Jamaa’s support to the shutdown and urged people to intensify the movement demanding Latif’s punishment.
On Saturday evening, the government deployed members of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) in the capital ahead of the strike to maintain the law and order.
BBN/SSR/AD-26Oct14-11:23 am (BST)
