REINSTALLATION OF STATUE OF JUSTICE Islamist groups threaten tough movement

Hefazat-e-Islam amir Shah Ahmad Shafi on Sunday said they were surprised, frustrated and speechless as the statue of justice, what they termed ‘idol of a Greek goddess’ was reinstalled in front of Annex Building of the Supreme Court early Sunday, two days after it was removed from in front of the SC. 
Islami Andolon Bangladesh at a rally in front of Baitul Mukarrom after zuhr prayers also threatened to launch tough movement if the government failed to remove the ‘idol’ from the SC area without any delay. 
The removal of statue on early Friday drew widespread protest and criticism from progressive forces while Islamist groups, including Hefazat and Islami Andolon Bangladesh, on Friday thanked the prime minister for the removal of what they called an ‘idol.’ 
Shafi, in a statement sent to media houses by his press secretary Munir Ahmad, said, `We were glad and expressed gratitude along with the people of the country after hearing the news of removal of the Greek goddess from the SC premises. But after two days of the removal, it was reinstalled in front of Annex Building of the SC which surprised us.’
`Earlier we made our position clear about the idol. We wanted permanent removal of the idol from the SC and did not want it to be placed in any other place because the installation was against the will of the people. By reinstalling the idol, the government proved that they are not giving importance to the expectation of people.’ said Shafi. 
‘Reinstallation of the idol on the first day of holy Ramadan is nothing but a joke with the nation,’ he added. 
He called for a permanent removal of the `Greek goddess’. 
Meanwhile, leaders and activists of Islami Shasantantra Chhatra Andolan staged demonstration in front of National Press Club after the fazr prayers protesting at reinstallation of the statue.
They called for the removal and destruction of the controversial statue from the apex court premises immediately.
Leaders of the student organisation claimed that police swooped on them and detained nine of their fellows from the spot. 
After zuhr prayers, leaders and activists of Islami Andolan Bangladesh and its student wing Islami Shasantantra Chhatra Andolan staged demonstration and held protest rally at south gate of national mosque Baitul Mukarram. 
They demanded release of the detained leaders by Sunday. Otherwise, they threatened to go for tougher movement across the country from today to realise their demands. 
ATM Hemayet Uddin, acting secretary general of Islami Andolan, called on the government to remove the ‘idol’ from the SC premises immediately.
He said that the consequence of reinstallation of the statue would not be good for the government. 
Another senior leader of the Islamist group Ashraf Ali Akhand said that with the reinstallation of the ‘idol’ the government showed how helpless it is to some atheists.
He said those who protested against the removal of the statue were enemy of the nation and called on the Muslim community to resist the enemy. 

 

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