Islamic scholars demand compulsory religious education

Leading Tablighi Jamaat scholars and various Islamic organization leaders have called for compulsory religious education at all education levels, a ban on Maulana Muhammad Saad Kandhalvi's entry into Bangladesh, and restrictions on his followers’ activities at Kakrail Mosque.

They allege that Saad’s followers are plotting violence surrounding the upcoming Biswa Ijtema. Scholars and students have pledged to counter these efforts.

Maulana Mahfuzul Haque, chief sponsor of Shaikhul Hadith Parishad and Befaqul Madarisil Arabia Bangladesh secretary general, presented these demands during an Islamic conference at Suhrawardy Udyan in Dhaka on Tuesday.

The conference, held from 9am to 1:30pm, centred on safeguarding “Dawah, Tabligh, Qawmi, and Deen in Madrasas.”

Key demands from the conference include: 

1. Conducting Qawmi education under Darul Uloom Deoband and halting all Tablighi-related conspiracies by separatist groups.
2. Mandatory inclusion of religious studies in the general education syllabus.
3. Withdrawal of cases filed by the previous government against religious scholars.
4. Extradition and prosecution of those responsible for the Shapla Chattar incident, along with the withdrawal of politically motivated cases across the country.
5. Investigation of the 2018 attack on Tongi Maidan by hardliners.
6. Prohibition on Maulana Saad’s entry into Bangladesh due to allegations of violating Tablighi principles and criticizing the Prophet's companions.
7. Government facilitation of the Biswa Ijtema in two phases, with the first phase set for January 31–February 2 and the second for February 7–9, 2025.
8. Suspension of activities at Kakrail Mosque unless approved by the Shura-i-Nezam, effective immediately.
9. Declaration of the Qadianis as non-Muslim, aligning with the conference’s view on the community.

Conference participants urged government support to fulfil these demands.