An allegation of occupying Newtown Central Jame Masjid in the Capital`s Matuail has been made against Charmonai supporter chairman Jagua Union Parishad of Barisal Sadar Upazila and Islamic speaker Maulana Hedayatullah Azadi. Anger has arisen among the worshipers due to the fact that the khatib came to offer prayers after missing the time in the khatib recruitment examination. The current president and local worshipers have welcomed the decision to reorganize the KMT in the role of local administration.
It is known that the popular Islamic speaker Abul Kalam Azad Bashar used to lead Friday prayers in Newtown Central Jame Mosque in Matuail area of the capital. The general public and local worshipers complained on social media Facebook that pro-Charmonai UP chairman Hedayatullah Azadi illegally occupied the mosque with hundreds of students of Qaumi Madrasa before prayers on Friday (September 23).
When I spoke to the current khatib of the mosque, Abul Kalam Azad Bashar, he told The Daily Post that I do not want the matter to come to the media. But the incident that happened is an internal matter of the mosque. Efforts are being made to negotiate the matter. Hope the local administration and committee people will solve it soon.
Meanwhile, in a Facebook status after this incident, he wrote, "Pir Sahib`s own people took over the Masjid with 2/3 hundred students of the Qaumi Madrasa, an hour before Friday." By next Friday, I will inform the nation about this fascism in detail, inshallah.
After his writing spread on Facebook, he deleted the post on Sunday night after discussing with the committee.
In this regard, Maulana Hedayatullah Azadi`s personal mobile number 01916...197 was called and he hung up as soon as he identified ourselves as a journalist.
Later, when his travel companion Narul Huda Sabbir received was called, when he asked about the complaint of encroachment on the mosque, he said that it was completely baseless, Huzur did not know about it. At the invitation of the mosque committee, he basically went there to lead Friday prayers and preach. Azadi Sahib would not have gone there if he knew something like this would happen.
When asked to talk to Hedayatullah Azadi, he said, Huzur will come live after Asr and tell about the matter then everyone will know. Later, after Asr prayer, when contacted again, Sabbir said, Huzur will come live after Maghrib.
Later on Sunday (September 25) at 6:30 in the evening, Maulana Hedayatullah came live with the minority members of a part of the rebel committee of the mosque and said, I went to Newtown Central Mosque to offer prayers on behalf of Sirajul Islam Akon Bhai`s phone call. I went there mainly to teach prayers.
He said, I did not know anything about the fact that I spoke to Abul Kalam Azad Basha`s brother on mobile. I went there mainly as a temporary khatib. I`m not meant to be permanently exhausted. I went there alone and didn`t take anyone else with me. The allegation against me of bringing students or bringing many people is not true. Those who are coming have mainly come to listen to my speech. I will stay where I pray now.
When we spoke to the president of Newtown Central Jame Masjid, Nesar Uddin, he told The Daily Post that Abul Kalam Azad Bashar has been leading prayers for a long time without any problem, so far there was no dispute. I don`t know what happened to one side all of a sudden.
On the 9th, the co-secretary of our committee, Md. Abul Kashem, announced the mosque committee by talking about the Islamic foundation without any discussion, which has no basis. When asked to see the paper of the Islamic Foundation, he could not show any paper so far.
We called a meeting on September 14 with the Motwallis of the mosque in this regard, when we invited the assistant secretary of the current valid committee, Abul Kashem, through a letter, but he did not accept the letter and misbehaved. Due to which the meeting was not possible.
He said, if there is a possibility of chaos in this matter, then its the officer in charge of the police station. When Shafiqur Rahman (PPM) called us, when I arrived at the police station, the illegal committee announcers sent their representatives, who are not in any way related to the mosque.
After talking to OC I left at 12 pm. In the morning, Ayu SI Mazhar of the police station called me and told me not to make the current Khatib Abul Kalam Azad Bashar come to the mosque on Friday (September 23). He may actually collide. According to his words, I did not let Mr. Bashar come.
Before the start of Friday prayers, the boys of the Qaumi madrasa came and almost took over the mosque. Shortly after that, Maulana Hedayatullah Azadi came to the mosque to offer prayers. He had come to our mosque for an interview before. At that time, based on everyone`s opinion, we scrutinized and excluded him and appointed Bashar Sahib as Khatib. Since then, Bashar Sahib has been a khatib in the mosque. Mr. Bashar does not make any stories, he interprets directly from the Quran.
Nesar Uddin said, I am in charge of the president of 3 mosques in this area. I would not have been given this responsibility if I had done something illegal. None of the people making allegations against me are active members of the committee. There is evidence of money scam against them regarding the purchase of mosque land. He is now creating a mess for not returning the money.
He said, I have become the president by my own will, it is not like that. There are about 107 motwallis in the mosque and a committee has been formed on their decision and I am the president from the beginning.
When contacted, the assistant secretary of the mosque, Abul Kashem, told The Daily Post, "I am going to an official function later in the day.
When contacted, Assistant Secretary of the mosque, Abul Kashem, he told The Daily Post that he is going to an official function and will talk about the details later.
The convener of the committee that Abul Kashem announced was Mohammad Nazmul Islam. However, when Mohammad Nazmul Islam was contacted in this regard, he said, without any discussion with me, they summoned me and announced a committee. I did not accept their decision.
In this regard, the organizing secretary of Newtown Central Jame Masjid. Sirajul Islam Akon said, currently the mosque committee is divided into 2 parts, there are many complaints against him, starting from the single decision of the president and not giving the account of the mosque, those complaints go to the police station, where the Khatib is also discussed. On Thursday night, the OC called the police station and said, "Tomorrow I will offer Friday prayers in your mosque and you will forbid Khatib Sahib to come, give someone good to lead the prayers for tomorrow, so I ask Azadi Sahib to come and lead the Namaz." Azadi is also a very good friend like my own younger brother, so he came to lead Friday prayers that day to fulfill my demand. Not to occupy the mosque.
He said that the assistant secretary of the mosque committee, Abul Kashem Sahib, showed the long-standing problem and took the approval of a committee from the Ministry of Religion. Where there are signatures of other committee members and local Awami League people.
When asked where that paper of the Ministry of Religion is, Akon said, that paper is with Mr. Kashem. It must be seen from him. But this paper has no more value now because the chairman of the committee Nesar Sahib has made a general diary on this matter.
In response to the question whether the committee is canceled if the police station complains, Akon said that the committee is not canceled but he has complained and the police station has also asked for the committee to be reconstituted. So that committee has no acceptance anymore.
He said that the OC said a solution. Asked to reconstitute a committee of 5 members to decide on Khatib. We have applied for a 10 member committee. The decision will be taken after the formation of this committee. If the current khatib Abul Kalam Azad Bashar sahib is reappointed then we will accept it and pray behind him.
A Muslim from Newtown area, on condition of anonymity, said that with such a maulvi chairman, the masjid madrassa can be taken over, but guidance cannot be obtained. Kashem Sahib built a madrasa here. From the inner conflict of that madrasah, he created a chaos in the mosque. By doing this, our area is being dishonored. I heard that Maulana, who came to lead Friday prayers, himself was once expelled from Narinda Bint Bibi Jame Masjid. After that, he was expelled from the capital market mosque.
A Muslim named Nazmul Haque said, why did he get involved in occupation politics as a scholar? Mosque Madrasa will not be safe from his hands?
Officer in charge of Demra police station. Shafiqur Rahman (PPM) told The Daily Post that 2 committees were formed in that mosque and a ruckus was created, so I told both parties to conduct Friday prayers with a neutral Maulana.
I don`t know who makes which party here. Now if they offer Namaz with Charmonai/any other political person then how will I know that? We are trying to resolve it.
I have created a temporary committee in the mosque which will be resolved shortly. And they will appoint a new one together.
