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Radicals seek compromise, govt tough


Published : 24 Apr 2021 09:47 PM | Updated : 25 Apr 2021 03:30 AM

Although Islamist radical organisation Hefazat-e-Islam is trying to reach a compromise with the government, the ruling Awami League is not willing to spare them for their violence and destructive activities, said sources in the government.

According to sources, the government is determined to take legal actions and continue drives to arrest those Hefazat leaders and activists, who were involved in violence to create anarchy in the name of various issues.

Besides, the government has given strict instructions to different agencies so that the organization and its allies may not create any chaos by using religion and the innocent religious people of the country.

However, several high officials of the government and senior leaders of the ruling Awami League said they are not against real Islamic scholars and innocent religious people. But they would not spare those who are trying to mislead the religious people of the country and distorting  Islam.

It may be mentioned that Islamist radical organization Hefazat-e- Islam had been carrying out violence since 2013 across the country.

Backed by BNP, Jamaat-e Islam and other vested quarters, this Islamist organisation  had also been spreading rumours and communalism through different ways, including social media.

In the circumstances, the government launched a crackdown to nab the culprits. The law enforcers arrested at least 15 central leaders and several hundred other leaders and activists of the radical organisation who were found to be involved in continuous violence.

In the face of the tough government move, leaders of the radical organisations are now trying to communicate with the government through different law-enforcement and intelligence agencies so that the government does not take a hard line.

But, despite their repeated bids for conciliation, the government did not show interest in taking a soft attitude as the radical organisation has exceeded its limits through various unlawful acts.

Talking on the issue, some of the police officials and leaders of the Awami League said the violence and destructive activities carried out by some of the leaders and activists of Hefajat- e- Islam  are highly punishable. If they are spared, they would appear as a threat to the constitution and democracy of the country as well as its communal harmony.  

Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said that those who were directly involved in the violence, attack and arson attacks to houses, are being arrested after watching the video. 

“None of them would be spared”, he said.

Agriculture Minister Abdur Razzak, also a presidium member of the Awami League, said there is no more scope of sparing them as this organisation has already gone against the interest and ideology of the country. 

“Proper legal action would be taken against anyone involved in terrorist activities using religion”, he said.

He said, “The Awami League believes in secularism. We have no conflict with Islam or any other religion. But, those who use religion for political purposes and want to make the religion a shield, we will not let them to do so. Because, we believe in equal rights of all religions.”