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Bangladesh
Hefazat makes good on protest threat, demands SC sculpture removal
2017-02-25
[Dhaka Tribune] Hundreds of supporters of hardliner Hefajat-e-Islam
...a madrassa-based false nose and mustache of the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, formed in 2010 to protest against secular education. In 2011 demonstrated violentyly against women's rights and in 2013 held large rallies demanding capital punishment of Shahbag Square protesters and banning women working outside the home...
staged protests on Friday in Dhaka, Chittagong and Narayanganj, calling for the statue of a Greek goddess installed at the Supreme Court to be destroyed or removed.

This is a part of their ongoing protest demanding the removal of the Lady Justice statue from the Supreme Court premises.

Earlier on February 14, they had submitted memorandums to the prime minister and the chief justice. They stated the "idol" was anti-Islamic and threatened to stage demonstrations and bring out processions if their demand went unheeded.

Hefajat-e-Islam activists chant slogans as they take part in a protest in Dhaka on February 24, 2017. Hundreds of supporters of the hardliner Islamist group staged protests on February 24 calling for the statue of a Greek goddess installed at the Supreme Court to be destroyed or removed. The sculpture of Themis, the blindfolded deity of justice and order, has ruffled feathers in the Moslem-majority nation since it was unveiled late last year on the premises of the country’s top court Photo: AFP

Court officials, however, defended the statue as "a symbol of justice." The image of Greek goddess Themis, depicted with her eyes shielded and holding the scales of justice, represents fairness, law and custom across the world.

The Dhaka procession began from Baitul Mukarram National Mosque.

Hundreds of Hefazat supporters rolled their eyes, jumped up and down, and hollered poorly rhymed slogans real loud and wielded placards with phrases such as "Demolish the statue on the court premises and replace it with the Qur’an," states a report from AFP.

Hefazat’s Central Committee Joint Secretary General Junaid Al Habib said the "idol" had to be removed by any means.

In a country with a 92% Moslem population, people would not tolerate any "idol" in the country’s apex court premises, Habib added.

Conservative Bangladesh has seen increasing tension between hardliners and secularists in recent years: A spate of killings of atheist bloggers, religious minorities and foreigners combined with a series of changes in school textbooks, which are overwhelmingly secular, to reflect Moslem traditions.

According to sources, several leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami
...The Islamic Society, founded in 1941 in Lahore by Maulana Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi, aka The Great Apostosizer. The Jamaat opposed the independence of Bangladesh but has operated an independent branch there since 1975. It maintains close ties with international Mohammedan groups such as the Moslem Brotherhood. the Taliban, and al-Qaeda. The Jamaat's objectives are the establishment of a pure Islamic state, governed by Sharia law. It is distinguished by its xenophobia, and its opposition to Westernization, capitalism, socialism, secularism, and liberalist social mores...
, a BNP ally which has been absent from recent street demonstrations, and members of its student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir
... the student wing of the Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh...
are supportive of the recent radical Islamist moves to remove the Supreme Court statue of Lady Justice, avenge the persecution of Rohingya Moslems and make changes in school textbooks.

Sources also said all paper materials and information for these movements are supplied by Jamaat-Shibir to the other parties, including Hefazat.

Security has been increased in the area around Baitul Mukarram, according to local police official Rafiqul Islam.

He added that at least 1,000 people had joined the rally there and a similar rally had also been held at Chittagong.
Posted by:Fred

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