‘Anti-Ahmadiyya campaigns plot against Bangladesh’

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at Bangladesh has called on the government to act against the so-called movement against the community as they find such activities plots against Bangladesh to make it a failed state through sectarian division.

The community at a press conference at their headquarters at Bakshibazar in Dhaka on Tuesday called on the government to ensure security for them and uphold their constitution-guaranteed right to practice religion.

They also asked the government to ensure an environment conducive to holding the annual convention of the community across Bangladesh.

The gruesome events of March 3 in Panchagarh should not recur and the government has to ensure that, they said.

Ahmad Tabsir Chowdhury, national secretary for external affairs of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at, at the press briefing said the year 2023 is crucial one as national elections would be held in the first week of 2024, and some quarters are trying to unstable the country for political benefits.

“As the election nears, some quarters are trying to earn political gains by victimising the Ahmadiyya community and the attacks in Panchagarh was one of such attempts,” Tabshir said.

Tabshir also said a section of so-called ulema are unleashing orchestrated propaganda against Ahmadiyyas on social media and in waz mahfils and openly threatening the Ahmadiyyas to kill. “Such evil campaigns should be stopped at any cost and the criminals including the death threat issuers should be brought to book,” he said.

On March 3, two people, including an Ahmadiyya youth, were killed, and dozens of others were injured as groups of Islamists torched and vandalised scores of Ahmadiyya houses and clashed with law enforcers in Panchagarh over the jalsa salana of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at.