Real Alems not being arrested in Hefazat crackdown, says state minister

Genuine Islamic scholars have not been arrested in the crackdown against hardline Hefazat-e-Islam, State Minister for Religious Affairs Md Faridul Haque Khan told the parliament.

"Law enforcers are arresting people who are conspiring against the state in the name of religion,” he said during Tuesday’s session.

His remarks came in response to lawmakers’ discussion over the Hajj and Umrah Management Bill 2021, which was passed in the House the same day.

“If anyone innocent was arrested by mistake, the prime minister immediately ordered their release,” said Khan, claiming that several Islamic preachers have already been released and only those who are guilty are facing legal action.

Earlier, BNP lawmakers sharply criticized the government for the recent arrests of Islamic scholars across the country and alleged that they were being “tortured.”

Dismissing the allegations, ruling MPs said that the government is taking actions against those, who make hate speech and plot against the state.

BNP MP Rumeen Farhana raised the issue of missing Islamic preacher Abu Twa-haa Muhammad Adnan.

“His mother along with the 604 other families of missing persons didn’t even get a chance to file a case,” she said.

Dhallywood actor Pori Moni is lucky that she was able to start a case, the opposition MP said. “Most of the people don’t get this opportunity.”

BNP MP Harunur Rashid claimed that Islamic scholar in the country were in “serious trouble”

“If the Islamic scholars are tortured, it will create unrest in the society,”  he said.

The Anti-Corruption Commission is prosecuting at least 56 top Islamic preachers and telling them to disclose wealth information, the opposition lawmaker said.

“I think the ACC should first ask the 350 MPs for their wealth information. I think this will be more acceptable and appropriate because the prime minister has already declared zero-tolerance against corruption,” he added.

BNP lawmaker Md Mosharof Hosen also raised the issue of the missing Islamic preacher. “His family is unable to trace him. They claim that the police are not taking the matter seriously,” he said.

Responding to the BNP lawmakers, Jatiya Party (JaPa) MP Pir Fazlur Rahman said that some so-called Islamic scholars are spreading hate speech.

“When the Covid-19 pandemic broke out in the country, a popular Islamic preacher said that no Muslim will be infected by this virus.

“Does this mean that our former prime minister Khaleda Zia, our former state minister for religious affairs, and the others who have suffered from this disease, are not Muslims?” he said.

Kishoreganj 3 MP Md Mujibul Haque Chunnu of JaPa, said: “Sometimes these Islamic preachers’ make us confused. We wonder, who are the real Muslims?”

State Minister for Religious Affairs Md Faridul Haque Khan said that Islamic scholars are not facing any cases except some so-called ones who are conspiring against the nation.