Islamic party Hefazat-e-Islam wants to form a central Khass (Special) Committee with dedicated leaders to revive the party in the country’s politics.   

The party wants to announce political programmes centering on several issues including textbooks and transgender issues. It has called off a press conference convened on 5 February in Dhaka. The new date of the press conference will be announced later.

Maulana Azizul Haque Islamabadi, joint secretary general of Hefazat-e-Islam, said the government did not implement the promise of withdrawing cases filed against the leaders and activists of Hefazat and releasing the Hefazat’s leaders. For this reason, intense dissatisfaction has been prevailing in the party after the January 5 election. This dissatisfaction may turn into a mass blast anytime.

Another joint secretary general of the party Maulana Mohiuddin Rabbani said they don’t want anti-Islamic textbooks and transgender culture which hurts the religious sentiment of the Muslims.      

“We will clear our position about ongoing two topics (Textbooks and transgender issues) and release the leaders and activists of the party. Our next programmes will be announced through a press conference,” he said.

Party sources said currently a hot relationship is going on between the government and the Hefazat. Taking advantage of the relationship, Hefazat managed to release of some leaders from prison.  But leaders of the party now demanding the withdrawal of 203 cases registered across the country and cancel of the frequent court appearances.

In the meantime, textbooks and transgender issues have come on the frontline. To address these two issues, Hefazat announced to hold a press conference and 5 February and later it was cancelled. The new date of the press conference has been fixed on 13 February.  

Wishing anonymity, several intelligence officials said some leaders of the Hefazat are trying to make political gain by centering textbooks and transgender issues.  The government is closely monitoring the situation, he added.

@ The article was published on print and online versions of The Bangladesh Pratidin on February 9, 2024 and has been rewritten in English by Golam Rosul.