The home ministry has called on supporters of two Tabligh Jamaat groups–one led by Maulana Muhammad Saad Kandhalvi and another by Maulana Zubair– to refrain from creating chaos.
Emphasising the need for peaceful coexistence at Kakrail mosque in Dhaka and all mosques at upazila and district levels across the country, the ministry also urged the two groups to run activities maintaining peace and order, said a circular of the Public Security Division under the ministry issued on Thursday.
Earlier on December 26, the ministry banned activities of the followers of Maulana Saad at the Kakrail Mosque and also imposed restrictions on large gatherings of the supporters of Maulana Zubair near the mosque.
Amid such a call from the ministry, supporters of Zubair group on Friday announced holding a press conference on Saturday noon at Kakrail mosque about Tabligh Jamaat issues and to place their demand for ensuring swift trial of Saad group for the attack and killings on Bishwa Ijtema ground at Tongi in Gazipur.
On December 18, 2024, at least four people were killed and scores others injured in a clash between two factions of the Tabligh Jamaat over the control of the Ijtema ground at Tongi in the early hours of the day forcing the government to ban any kind of gathering or procession in the areas and asked both groups to vacate the ground.
On December 20, a Gazipur court sent Muaz Bin Noor, spokesperson for the Tabligh Jamaat faction loyal to Maulana Muhammed Saad Kandhalvi, to jail in a case filed over the killing of four people in violent clashes over establishing control of the Ijtema ground at Tongi in Gazipur.
Tongi West police station officer-in-charge Habibur Rahman said that they had arrested three people over the murder case filed by the Zubair group.
‘We are investigating the murder case. There is no tense situation now in the Ijtema ground,’ the OC added.
Bishwa Ijtema is oragnised annually at Tongi on the outskirts of Dhaka.
Earlier in December 2018, a man was killed and more than 200 were injured as the two factions clashed over the control of the Ijtema ground.
After the deadly clash between the two groups in 2018, the congregation was organised separately by the two groups.
As per the government’s decision, the first phase of the Biswa Ijtema, organised by Zubair’s followers, is scheduled for January 31 to February 2, while the second phase, led by Saad’s followers, is scheduled for February 7–9.
