Staff Reporter :
Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh announced two new protest programmes during a large-scale rally held on Saturday at Suhrawardy Udyan in Dhaka, intensifying its calls for restructuring the country’s political and social order in line with Islamic principles.
At the daylong event, the group declared it would hold nationwide protest marches following Jumma prayers on 23 May to press home four key demands. Additionally, the organisation will host divisional conferences over the next three months to garner support for what it described as the “establishment of women’s rightful rights.”
The announcements were delivered by Hefazat’s Secretary General, Maulana Sajidur Rahman, while Nayeb-e-Ameer Mahfuzul Haque presented a 12-point declaration outlining the group’s ideological stance and grievances.
Among the most contentious demands was the abolition of the Women’s Affairs Reform Commission, which Hefazat denounced as “anti-Quranic.” In its place, the group proposed the formation of a new women’s commission comprising Islamic scholars and devout female representatives.
Rejecting what it referred to as “Western-imposed ideals” of gender equality and diversity, the declaration stressed that women’s advancement must align with Bangladesh’s religious and cultural traditions.
It also opposed the use of terms such as “gender identity,” “gender diversity,” and “third gender,” claiming they are indirect efforts to promote LGBT rights and could lead to a “destructive, anti-religious society.”
Hefazat called for the reinstatement of the constitutional principle of “complete faith and trust in Almighty Allah,” while rejecting pluralism as a “suicidal concept.” The organisation also demanded the highest punishment for blasphemy and opposed any attempts to repeal blasphemy-related provisions through media or legal reform.
The rally, which began at 9 a.m. and concluded around 1:15 p.m., attracted supporters from Dhaka and neighbouring districts, highlighting the group’s enduring grassroots reach.
In a sharp escalation of rhetoric, Hefazat labelled the ruling Awami League as a “terrorist organisation” and demanded a ban on its activities until judicial proceedings related to past violence are completed.
It also called for former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her associates to be brought to trial ahead of the upcoming general election, citing the 2013 Shapla Chattar crackdown and incidents from July 2024.
On foreign policy, Hefazat urged the government to adopt a firm diplomatic stance against what it termed the “genocide” of Muslims in Palestine and India. It demanded a boycott of Israeli and Indian goods and criticised Bangladesh’s reported approval of a humanitarian corridor in Myanmar’s Rakhine State, calling the policy “short-sighted and dangerous for national security.”
Domestically, the group reiterated its demand for stronger military deployment in the Chittagong Hill Tracts and urged greater efforts to promote harmony between Bengali settlers and indigenous communities.
In a move likely to provoke further controversy, Hefazat again called for the Ahmadiyya community to be officially declared “non-Muslim.”
Other demands included the revocation of bail granted to Chinmoy Das in the Saiful Islam Alif murder case in Chattogram, the withdrawal of what it described as “false and fabricated” cases against Islamic scholars, and justice for alleged instances of persecution and enforced disappearances over the past 15 years.
Saturday’s rally signals Hefazat-e-Islam’s renewed effort to mobilise public support and exert political pressure ahead of the forthcoming national elections, as it seeks to elevate its conservative Islamist agenda on the national stage.
