Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh facts for kids
| হেফাজতে ইসলাম বাংলাদেশ | |
The logo of Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh
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| Abbreviation | HIB Hefazat |
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| Formation | January 2010 |
| Founders | Shah Ahmad Shafi Junaid Babunagari Izharul Islam Chowdhury Abdul Malek Halim |
| Type | Far-right |
| Purpose | Islamist advocacy group |
| Headquarters | Al-Jamiatul Islamiah Azizul Uloom Babunagar, Hathazari Chittagong, Bangladesh |
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Region served
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Bangladesh |
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Official language
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Bengali |
| Muhibbullah Babunagari | |
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Secretary General
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Sajidur Rahman |
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Joint Secretary-General
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Mamunul Haque |
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Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh (which means "Protection of Islam, Bangladesh") is a right-wing group consisting mainly of religious teachers and students in Bangladesh. They don't see themselves as a political party that wants to win elections and have a President. Instead, they call themselves a "non-political" pressure group.
They believe that the government should follow Islamic rules more closely. The group often organizes large public gatherings and protests to share their views. In 2013, they presented a list of 13 demands to the government of Bangladesh. These demands included creating a law to protect religious feelings and having specific rules about how society should be organized.
Contents
How Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh Started
Hefazat-e-Islam was formed in 2010. It began as a group of teachers from several religious schools (called madrasas) in Chittagong, Bangladesh. Key founders included Shah Ahmad Shafi, Allama Junaid Babunagari, Mufti Izharul Islam, and Abdul Malek Halim.
One reason for its creation was a proposed government plan about women's development in 2009. In February 2010, Hefazat wanted to hold a protest in Chittagong. They were against government plans that they felt would limit religious activities in politics and change religious schools. A protest they tried to hold in 2010 led to clashes with police, and some people were hurt or arrested. In 2011, Hefazat-e-Islam also protested parts of a proposed policy for women's development.
The 13 Demands of 2013
In 2013, the group became more active. This happened after some people felt that certain online content was disrespectful to their religion and its prophet. They organized a large rally in Dhaka, the capital city. They asked the government to create a law to protect religious feelings and to take action against those who they believed had insulted their religion.
Their demands were listed in 13 points:
- Bringing back a phrase about faith in God into the country's constitution.
- Creating a law to prevent insults against Islam.
- Taking action against people who they believed were spreading negative ideas about Islam and its prophet.
- Stopping what they called 'foreign cultural influences' and promoting traditional Islamic values. This included encouraging women to wear hijab and ensuring their safety, while also asking for an end to practices like dowry.
- Making Islamic education a required part of schooling from primary to high school, and changing government policies on women and education.
- Stopping the building of statues in public places and educational institutions.
- Allowing religious scholars to lead prayers freely in all mosques.
- Stopping media content that they believed was against Islam.
- Stopping activities by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that they felt were against Islam, especially in certain regions like the Chittagong Hill Tracts.
- Stopping attacks on religious scholars.
- Stopping harassment of teachers and students from religious schools.
- Releasing arrested religious scholars and students, dropping cases against them, and providing support to those who were harmed.
The Long March in April 2013
On April 6, 2013, Hefazat-e-Islam organized a large march towards the Motijheel area in Dhaka. People came from Chittagong, Sylhet, and Rajshahi to support their 13 demands. Some news outlets called it the "Siege of Dhaka."
During clashes between different groups, one political leader sadly passed away. There were also reports of clashes where people, including a police officer, were injured. A university official was also reportedly injured, and journalists faced threats.
Protests in May 2013
On May 5, 2013, Hefazat held another large rally in Dhaka for their demands. The day before, activists blocked roads leading into Dhaka. On May 5, with police permission, they entered Dhaka and moved towards the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque for prayers.
There were reports of clashes with supporters of the ruling political party. Hefazat supporters also responded with objects like bricks. Some journalists were injured during these events. A leader from the ruling party asked them to leave Dhaka. The opposition party, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), said Hefazat members had a right to protest.
Reports claimed that some bookstores were set on fire, and some religious books were damaged. However, Hefazat-e-Islam denied these claims, and there were different accounts of what happened.
Reports of Deaths and Injuries
Early on May 6, security forces carried out an operation to clear the area and end the protests. During the operation, power was cut in the area, and two television channels were temporarily shut down.
There were many different reports about how many people died or were injured during these events. Government figures were lower than what some human rights groups and news agencies reported. Some groups claimed very high numbers, while others, like a British journalist and European diplomats, reported dozens of deaths. Because of these differences, human rights organizations asked for a thorough investigation.
Important international groups like Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and the UN Secretary-General called for independent investigations into the events and urged the government to engage in discussions.
On May 6, protests also spread to other parts of the country. In some areas, clashes with police led to more deaths and injuries.
Beliefs of Hefazat-e-Islam
While the group started with very strict religious views, some people believe it has moved towards more moderate ideas. This happened as the government recognized degrees from religious schools and worked to unite against extreme views. The group has asked the government to cancel a commission that was set up to protect and promote women's rights and freedom.
