Leaders of Hefazat-e-Islam held meeting with Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal at the latter’s residence in the capital Tuesday night.

A delegation led by member secretary of the central committee of the organisation Nurul Islam Jihadi demanded release of "Ulema and religious-minded general people" arrested over violence while protesting Indian Prime Minister Narandra Modi's visit to Bangladesh.

Their other demands include withdrawal of cases filed in connection with the Hefajat mayhem at the capital's Shapla Chattar in 2013 as per an earlier decision. 

Hefazat’s current committee member secretary and former secretary general Maulana Nurul Islam Jihadi told this to reporters after the meeting on Tuesday night. 

The leaders of the organisation went to the home minister's house around 9:20 pm and left 12 .00 midnight.

He said: “Alem-ulema’s and religious people are spending their days amid unknown fear as they are unable to perform prayers in the holy month of Ramadan.”

He said, “We have appealed to the home minister in today’s meeting to release them from arrest, panic and harassment. Mass arrests are going on especially in Chattogram’s Hathazari and Brahmanbaria. As a result, common people are fleeing their homes in panic. During the holy month of Ramadan, I have made a special request to him to stop the harassment of alem-ulemas and religious people.”

The home minister assured that our demands would be taken into consideration at the meeting, said Nurul Islam.

BDST: 1237 HRS, May 5, 2021
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