Darul Uloom Hathazari, also known as Hathazari Madrasa, is the oldest and largest Qawmi madrasa in Bangladesh. In 2010, Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh emerged from this Madrasa, gaining widespread attention during the 2013 anti-government protests. At that time, Shah Ahmad Shafi served as the organization's Amir, while Junaid Babunagari was the Secretary-General. Babunagari continued to hold his position in the madrasa after Shafi. However, since the 2013 movement, both leaders have undergone changes in their thinking. While Ahmad Shafi gradually distanced himself from the opposition stance against the government, Junaid Babunagari remained unwavering in his position. [1]
Anas Madani, the son of Ahmad Shafi, played a significant role in his father's change of thinking. Madani's involvement in various controversial activities using the influence of his father has raised concerns. The madrasa officials were divided into two groups, and the conflict between them came to light after Anas Madani's supporters, led by him, held a meeting of the management committee and removed Junaid Babunagari from his position as the assistant director of the madrasa. [2] As a result, on September 16, 2020, students began protesting, demanding the removal of Anas Madani and Ahmad Shafi from the post of Director-General, making Shafi an advisor instead, among other demands.
On May 5th, 2013, a large rally was held by Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh at Shapla Chattar in Motijheel, Dhaka. However, during the rally, law enforcement agencies conducted an operation and arrested numerous leaders, including the Secretary-General of the organization, Junayed Babunagari. The Amir of the organization, Shah Ahmed Shafi, was allowed to return to Chittagong. Several cases were filed against Hefazat-e-Islam leaders in connection with this incident. As a result of this event, Hefazat-e-Islam emerged as a political force. [3]
On September 16, 2020, after the Zuhr prayer, students at the madrasa began protesting for various demands on the madrasa grounds, which caused disruption for the teachers. During the protest, they chanted various slogans and vandalized the room of Anas Madani. Additionally, the students repeatedly announced over the mosque's microphone to prevent any action by the administration inside the madrasa. [4] A rally was also organized in Dhaka in support of the protest under the leadership of former VP Nurul Haque Nur. [3] In the afternoon, Mainuddin Ruhi, an associate of Anas Madani, was beaten by angry students who accused him of sowing the seeds of irregularities and anarchy in Hathazari Madrasa. [5]
The students initiated this protest with five demands. Subsequently, a leaflet was circulated in the madrasa to formally present these demands. The demands are as follows: [6]
The Deobandi movement or Deobandism is a revivalist movement within Sunni Islam that adheres to the Hanafi school of law. It formed in the late 19th century around the Darul Uloom Madrassa in Deoband, India, from which the name derives, by Muhammad Qasim Nanautavi, Rashid Ahmad Gangohi, and several others, after the Indian Rebellion of 1857–58. The movement pioneered education in religious sciences through the Dars-i-Nizami associated with the Lucknow-based ulema of Firangi Mahal with the goal of preserving traditional Islamic teachings from the influx of modernist, secular ideas during British colonial rule. The Deobandi movement's Indian clerical wing, Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind, was founded in 1919 and played a major role in the Indian independence movement through its participation in the Pan-Islamist Khalifat movement and propagation of the doctrine of composite nationalism.
Fatikchari(Bengali: ফটিকছড়ি, romanized: Fôṭikchhôṛi) is an upazila of Chattogram District in Chattogram Division, Bangladesh.
Al-Jāmiʿah al-Ahliyyah Dār al-ʿUlūm Muʿīn al-Islām, popularly known as the Hāṭhazārī Madrasa or the Great Madrassah, is a Qawmi institution of Hathazari, located in Bangladesh's Chittagong District. Established in 1901, it is the largest and oldest Deobandi seminary in the country. According to a 2009 National Bureau of Asian Research report, the highly reputed institution ranks among top ten madrasa in the subcontinent.
Shah Ahmad Shafi was a Bangladeshi Sunni Islamic scholar, the chief of Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh, Rector of Al-Jamiatul Ahlia Darul Ulum Moinul Islam Hathazari and also the chairman of Bangladesh Qawmi Madrasah Education Board. He was born in 1916 in Rangunia, Chittagong and was educated at Hathazari Madrasah and Darul Uloom Deoband.
Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh is a far-right Islamic Advocacy group of madrassah teachers and students. In 2013, it submitted to the government of Bangladesh a 13-point charter, which included the demand for the enactment of a blasphemy law.
Muḥammad Junaid, popularly known as Junaid Babunagari, was a Bangladeshi Deobandi Islamic scholar, educator, writer, researcher, Islamic speaker and spiritual figure. He was the Amir of Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh, Shaykhul Hadith of Darul Uloom Hathazari Madrasa, vice-president of Befaqul Madarisil Arabia Bangladesh, Chairman of Chittagong Noorani Talimul Quran Board and Editor-in-Chief of Monthly Mueenul Islam.
Izharul Islam Chowdhury is the founder of Jamiatul Uloom Al-Islamia Lalkhan Bazar. He is the present executive president of Nizam-e-Islam Party and Nayeb-e-Ameer of Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh.
Sulṭān Zauq Nadvī is a Bangladeshi Islamic scholar, author and the founder of Jamia Darul Ma'arif Al-Islamia. He is known mainly for his expertise in and contribution to Arabic language and literature.
Maulana Abdul Malek Halim is a prominent Islamic scholar of Bangladesh and Nayeb-e Ameer of Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh. Abdul Malek Halim is the pioneer of Qawmi Mohila (Female) Madrasa in Bangladesh and the founder of Al-Jamiatul Arabia Lil Baneena Wal Banaat Haildhar, the first Qawmi Madrasa having female branch. At present, Abdul Malek Halim is serving as the principle of the Madrasa. Abdul Malek Halim is also serving as the senior vice-chairman of Islami Oikya Jote. He is an ex-chairman of Nizam-e-Islam Party.
Nur Hossain Kasemi was a Bangladeshi Deobandi Islamic scholar, politician, educator, religious speaker and spiritual figure. He was the secretary general of Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Bangladesh, vice-president of Al-Haiatul Ulya Lil-Jamiatil Qawmia Bangladesh, senior vice-president of Befaqul Madarisil Arabia Bangladesh and Shaykhul Hadith and rector of Jamia Madania Baridhara, Dhaka and Jamia Sobhania Mahmud Nagar. He had played a leading role in the Hefazat movement, Khatam an-Nabiyyin movement etc. He was well-known among the Muslim masses as an Islamic leader. He was also involved in running nearly 45 Islamic seminaries.
Shah Mohammad Muhibbullah Babunagari is a Bangladeshi Deobandi Islamic scholar, Politician and Academician. He is the current and 3rd Amir of Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh, Rector of Al-Jamiatul Islamiah Azizul Uloom Babunagar. He also held leading positions in Islami Oikya Jote, Befaqul Madarisil Arabia Bangladesh and Al-Haiatul Ulya Lil-Jamiatil Qawmia Bangladesh. He is considered one of the pioneers of Deoband movement in Bangladesh.
Abul Fayez Muhammad Khalid Hossain, popularly known as Dr. A F M Khalid Hossain, is a Bangladeshi Deobandi Islamic scholar, educator, writer, researcher, editor, international Islamic speaker and social reformer. He is the Former Vice-president of Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh, Education Adviser of Islami Andolan Bangladesh, editor of monthly At-Tawheed and assistant editor of Balagh al-Sharq. He was the Professor and Head of Department of Islamic History and Culture at Omargani MES College and Central President of the Islami Chhatra Samaj, student wing of Nizam-e-Islam Party. He has published more than two hundred research articles in various journals, including The World Muslim League Journal. He has edited 3 to 9 volumes of the second edition of Islami Bishwakosh and Sirat encyclopedia, published by Islamic Foundation Bangladesh.
Nurul Islam Jihadi was a Bangladeshi Deobandi Islamic scholar, educator and spiritual figure. He was the Secretary General of Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh and International Majlis-e Tahaffuz-e-Khatm-e Nobuwat Bangladesh, Chancellor and Shaykh al-Hadith of Al Jamiatul Islamia Makhjanul Uloom. He was also a member of the Majlis-e-Shura of Darul Uloom Hathazari and Befaqul Madarisil Arabia Bangladesh, founder and patron of many mosques and madrasas, including Jamia Khatamunnabiyyin in United Kingdom.
Ṣūfī ʿAzīzur Raḥmān was a Muslim theologian, teacher and reformer. After being influenced by Abdul Wahid Bengali in his student life, he became associated with the spread of the Deobandi movement into Bengal. In 1896, he co-founded Al-Jamiatul Ahlia Darul Ulum Moinul Islam.
Ḥabībullāh Qurayshī was a Bengali Islamic scholar and educationist of the Deobandi movement. He was the founding director-general of Al-Jamiatul Ahlia Darul Ulum Moinul Islam.
Harun Babunagari was a Bangladeshi Deobandi Islamic scholar, Sufi and an exegete of the Quran. He was the founder and first Principal of Al-Jamiatul Islamiah Azizul Uloom Babunagar, one of the oldest Qawmi Madrasa in Bangladesh.
Abdus Salam Chatgami was a Bangladeshi Islamic scholar, educator, writer and researcher. He was considered one of the prominent Islamic scholars of South Asia for his research work. Chatgami had served as the Grand Mufti in both Pakistan and Bangladesh.
Shah Ahmad Hasan (1882–1967) was a Deobandi Islamic scholar, educator and reformer from Bengal. He was an early student of Al-Jamiatul Ahlia Darul Ulum Moinul Islam. He later established Al Jameatul Arabiatul Islamia Ziri, the second Qawmi Madrasah of Bangladesh.
Shah Sultan Ahmad Nanupuri, also known by his daak naam Badshah, was a Bangladeshi Islamic scholar, teacher and author. He established numerous madrasas in Bangladesh and was the founding principal of Al-Jamiah Al-Islamiah Obaidia Nanupur for seventeen years.