A group of ulema loyal to Maulana Saad Kandhlawi, the worldwide amir of Tabligh Jamaat, has called on the government to secure his presence at the upcoming Bishwa Ijtema in Tongi.
This appeal comes in response to a large gathering held at Dhaka’s Suhrawardy Udyan on Tuesday, where thousands threatened action against the interim government if Kandhlawi were permitted to attend the event.
Maulana Azim Uddin, khatib of Kakrail Mosque, the Tabligh Jamaat’s Bangladesh headquarters, led the press conference at the National Press Club in Dhaka on Wednesday.
He emphasised that Tabligh Jamaat is a "non-political, neutral, and peaceful organization."
According to Azim Uddin, for nearly 57 years, the Bishwa Ijtema has been held on the Turag riverbanks in Tongi, drawing millions to the path of Islam.
He warned that certain factions, allegedly led by Maulana Zubair, were spreading misleading information in an attempt to disrupt the upcoming Ijtema and create divisions within the Tabligh community by influencing young madrasa students.
"We called for unity among the ulema on November 3 through various media, but certain scholars, influenced by Zubair supporters, have spread misinformation about Tabligh Jamaat and the Bishwa Ijtema," said Azim Uddin, adding that these actions could threaten stability.
Azim Uddin proposed a seven-point plan to resolve the issues around Tabligh Jamaat and Maulana Saad’s involvement, which he described as an "open challenge":
1. The debate should involve respected scholars from India and Pakistan, including Maulana Arshad Madani of Darul Uloom Deoband and Pakistan’s Mufti Taqi Usmani, as judges.
2. Government advisers and law enforcement officials should attend.
3. Media coverage should be ensured, with the debate recorded and broadcast live.
4. Discussions should remain specific and focused.
5. Designated representatives from both factions should participate.
6. The debate should be held at Baitul Mukarram National Mosque.
7. The decision of the judging panel should be accepted as final.
Azim Uddin also presented several demands to ensure a peaceful and unified Bishwa Ijtema, stressing the importance of confirming Maulana Saad Kandhlawi's attendance:
1. The first phase of the Bishwa Ijtema should focus on mainstream Tablighi members aligned with Nizamuddin Markaz, the global headquarters, to address divisions that have arisen over the past seven years.
2. Disputes related to Kakrail Mosque and the Ijtema grounds should be resolved and conveyed to Tablighi Jamaat members.
3. He urged the government to investigate and address incidents from 2018, in which five of Saad’s followers were killed and over 400 were injured in Ijtema-related conflicts.
4. Inflammatory statements that incite division within the Muslim community should be prohibited in all Bangladeshi mosques.
This call aims to bring peace and unity to the Bishwa Ijtema and the Tabligh Jamaat community amid rising tensions over Maulana Saad’s participation.