Bangladesh police stops protestors from overtaking Ahmadiya place of worship

Dhaka, March 11 : To hold back protestors from besieging the Ahmadiya Muslim Jamaat Complex in Bogra on Friday, Bangladeshi police replaced the signboard of the complex with a banner which read “Place of Worship of Ahmadiyas - not to be mistaken for a Mosque” .

Police halted the marchers of International Khatme Nabuat Bangladesh half a kilometer off the Ahmadiya mosque complex where political and civil-society leaders from the capital were squatting in solidarity with the devotees of the beleaguered small religious group.

From a rally where the marchers were intercepted, the Khatme Nabuat central leaders threatened tougher programme if the Ahmadiyas, known as Qadianis, were not declared “non-Muslims” by December 23.

Thousands of supporters of the Khatme Nabuat Bangladesh paraded the thoroughfares in the town shouting their demand. They were barricaded at 4pm while proceeding to lay a siege to the Ahmadiya Muslim Jamaat Complex at Sauzgari.

Later, police hung a signboard inscribed with ‘Qadiani Upashanalaya’ at the Complex at 6pm, after two hours of persistent demand by the activists of Khatme Nabuat.

Police also assured the activists of seizing the Qadiani publications banned by the government to pacify the Nabuat men.

A security bulwark was built by combined forces of police, ansar and armed battalion around the Qadiani Complex. High officials of the police also were on the scene.

Local and central leaders of Awami League, CPB, JSD, BSD and Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee led by Justice KM Subhan stayed in the Qadiani Complex in support of the Qadianis.

Central Amir of Khatme Nabuat Bangladesh Hajrat Maulana Mahmudul Hasan Momtazi, member-secretary Maulana Nazmul Haque, Mamtazul Karim Hathazari, Abu Zafar Kashemi, Abul Kashem, Gazi Ataur Rahman, Mansurul Haque, Azizur Rahman, Nur Hossain, Abu Taher, Mozibur Rahman and Kazi Fazlul Karim, among others, addressed the rally. President of the Bogra unit of the International Khatme Nabuat Bangladesh Maulana Abdul Haque Azad presided.

The struggle over declaring Kadiayanies or Ahmadiyas as non-Muslim dates back to the 1960’s when Pakistan declared the sect as non-Muslims.

Khatme Nabuat Andolon leaders claim that their demand is completely constitutional and humane, because they are not taking any constitutional rights of Kadiayanis away from them.

The leaders claim that all they want is such a declaration from the government that enables general Muslims to not mistakenly consider the Ahmadiyas as just another Muslim.

Ahmadiya’s do not allow regular Muslims to join their prayers. This is another mainstay of the Khatmanabuat Andolon leaders accusation against the Ahmadiyas.

According to theology, Ahmadiyas are followers of a self proclaimed messiah named Golam Ahmed of Kadiyan, hailing from Pakistan. He declared himself as the born again Jesus.

Ahmadiyas do not consider Prophet Muhammad (SM) as the last messenger of God, a primary belief to be considered a Muslim.

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