Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday called upon the Ulema (people having religious education) to resist the evil forces undermining Islam by unleashing terrorist and militant acts, saying that there is no room for terrorism and militancy in Islam.
“Islam is a religion of peace, and there is no place for subversive acts, terrorism and militancy in it. So I would like to urge the respected Ulema to resist the evil forces dishonouring Islam and alert the mass people about them,” she said.Sheikh Hasina said Islam is being dishonoured internationally due to those who are engaged in terrorist and militant acts and who burn people to death and torch holy Quran. “We can never allow those undermining Islam. So I call upon all to stay alert to this end,” she said.
The Prime Minister said this while addressing a function on the occasion of the 40th founding anniversary of Islamic Foundation and the National Imam Conference at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre here this morning.
Religious Affairs Minister Principal Motiur Rahman chaired the function, while Chairman of Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Religious Affairs Ministry Bazlul Haque Harun was present as the special guest.
Secretary of the ministry Dr Chowdhury Mohammad Babul Hasan delivered the welcome address and Director General of Islamic Foundation Shamim Mohammad Afzal highlighted the activities of Islamic Foundation.
On behalf of the trained Imams, Maulana Abul Kashem spoke at the function. At the function, the Prime Minister handed over prizes among the best Imams and the winners of the National Children-Juveniles Cultural Competition.
Accusing again BNP-Jamaat of committing genocide in the name of hartals and blockades, Sheikh Hasina said they are killing people by pouring petrol and hurling bombs.
“It is tantamount to genocide and they are continuing to commit it. They are burning CNG drivers, bus drivers and helpers to death. Even the pregnant women and children are not being spared from their hand,” she said.
The Prime Minister said when the country is advancing towards development and prosperity, at that time BNP-Jamaat clique is continuing to commit anarchy to impede country’s uplift. “It is very unfortunate and we don’t want the country to be taken towards destruction,” she said.
Sheikh Hasina said the BNP-Jamaat clique enforced nonstop hartals and blockades on the Eid-e-Miladunnabi Day, and during Biswa Ijtema, the second largest Muslim congregation after the holy Hajj.
“They made attacks on the vehicles of the devotees and hurled bombs. None could do such a big undermining of Islam,” she said.
The Prime Minister said the only work of the BNP-Jamaat is to kill people and taint the image of the country by unleashing terrorist and militant acts. Their only work is to save war criminals and those who violated women during the War of Liberation, she said.
She noted that there is nothing to be heinous like burning people to death. “But the BNP-Jamaat is committing such misdeeds.
I don’t know what type of Islam they believe in and whom they want to make happy by unleashing such atrocities,” she said.
The Prime Minister urged the Ulema to compare the works of Awami League and the BNP, saying that her government did a lot for the development of Islam. – BSS
