Nurul Haque Nur has taken side with the radical Islamist groups and justified the recent violence unleashed by Hefazat-e-Islam during the celebration of golden jubilee of Bangladesh’s independence.
In a facebook live, the former vice-president of the Dhaka University Central Students' Union (Ducsu) also weighed his support in favour of Hefazat’s demand to run the country with Sharia law and called Awami League supporters and leaders as ‘fake Muslims’.
Nur often hits headlines by making controversial remarks. He also supports the programmes and comments of the opposition political parties including Gono Forum President Dr Kamal Hossain.
“They (Awami League) are not Muslims — they don’t have any faith. Please inquire if any of them prays five times daily,” Nur said this time against Awami League to support hefazat.
But his comment comes in contrast to the ruling Awami League's principles and activities.
‘Secularism’ is one of the key principles of the Awami League. By secularism, the party founder Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman meant that people will have full freedom of practising their own religions, but its political use will be prevented.
Even in the Mujib Year -birth centenary of Bangabandhu – his daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is establishing 560 model mosques for the majority Muslims across the country which is the second largest project in Bangladesh after the Padma Multipurpose Bridge.
The Hefazat-e-Islam emerged in Bangladesh a decade ago with some controversial demands including scrapping the National Women Development Policy and banning mixing of men and women in public. They also held a rally on Mary 5 in 2013, leading to widespread violence in and around the Motijheel business district.
They carried out deadly violence to protest the arrival of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 26 for the golden jubilee celebration.
The Hefazat leaders are also accused of abusing children in the madrasas. Most of those incidents remain unreported. Still, only in 2020, according to Ain o Salish Kendra, 25 boys reported to be raped in ‘madrasas’ by their teachers, principals or other people associated with those schools.
Hefazat Joint Secretary General Mamunul Haque was recently detained with a lady at a resort in Sonargaon. His extramarital relation comes in contrast to his preaching to people using Islamic verses.
Despite all those weird activities, Nur accused Awami League leaders and supporters as ‘fake Muslims’ in a bizarre act of solidarity with the radical Islamist groups to stoke religious hatred in Bangladesh.
He called Awami League leaders “extremists” and said that they were writing against Islamic clerics. He echoed the view asserted by Hefazat-e-Islam leaders to justify the spate of violence they unleashed during the visit of the Indian Prime Minister in the name of religion.
“They (Awami Leaguers) don’t live their lives according to Shariah and Sunnah,” he said, echoing the claim often raised by the Hefazat leaders.
“They pray only once a week on Friday, but never offer prayer five times a day. They take bribes, engage in extortion, drug trafficking, and tender business. No Muslim can support Awami League. Those who support the Awami League are fake Muslims,” he went on saying.
He branded Awami League supporters as “extortionists, drug traffickers, cheats, frauds” without giving any evidence.