Dhaka: Newly appointed state minister for religious affairs Faridul Haque Khan has said that there is a misunderstanding about sculpture and idol not being one and the same. He also called for refraining from making provocative speeches or statements on the issue.
He made the remarks during a courtesy call on leaders of the Religious Reporters Forum (RRF), an organization of journalists, at the Secretariat on Tuesday (December 1).
Faridul Haque Khan said there may be misunderstanding. Any problem can be solved through discussion. He mentioned that regular contacts and discussions with religious leaders would continue to maintain communal harmony.
"Whatever religion we do, we have to give him a chance to practice his religion," he said. Every religion says to be a good person.
On November 13, a rally under the banner of 'Touhidi Janata Oikya Parishad' was held at Dhupkhola ground in Gandaria, Dhaka to oppose the installation of a sculpture of Bangabandhu on the occasion of Mujib Year. On the same day, Mamunul Haque, acting secretary general of the Bangladesh Khilafat Majlis and central president of the Bangladesh Khilafat Jubo Majlis, publicly opposed the installation of the Bangabandhu sculpture at the BMA Auditorium in the capital.
Hefazat-e-Islam's Amir Junaid Babungari also threatened at any gathering that any group setting up a sculpture would be "dragged away".
On Sunday (November 29), Mamunul Haque reiterated his anti-sculpture stance at a press conference, saying, "I fully respect Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the great leader and architect of Bangladesh's independence, as a late Muslim leader and pray for the forgiveness of his soul." I never in any way oppose such a late national leader and I do not consider it appropriate to do so. Again, our statement is against the sculpture not in any way against Bangabandhu.
Meanwhile, in the face of the threat of Hefazat, various political organizations including the ruling party's student organization Chhatra League and its affiliated organization Juba League have demanded action against extremist communalism.