Feuding Tabligh factions asked to limit activities to designated mosques

Tablighi Jamaat members who are either followers of Maulana Zubayer Ahmed or Maulana Muhammad Saad Kandhalvi have been instructed to conduct their activities in their designated mosques in districts and upazilas.

An instruction was issued in a home ministry order on 29 December in this regard to prevent the two factions from getting involved in any kind of feud by being present at the same mosque, according to official sources.

The two factions have been requested to continue their activities peacefully in designated mosques only.

Earlier, the home ministry had ordered the followers of Maulana Saad Kandhalvi of India to refrain from all kinds of Tabligh Jamaat activities, including staying at the Kakrail Mosque in the capital at night.

At the same time, followers of Maulana Zubayer in Bangladesh were asked to refrain from holding large gatherings around the Kakrail Mosque.

The directives came following violence on 17 December, when three people were killed in clashes between followers of Maulana Zubayer Ahmed and Maulana Saad Kandalvi over occupying the Bishwa Ijtema ground in Tongi, Gazipur.

The two groups were in a dispute over whether Saad's followers would be able to hold a "Jor Ijtema" at the Ijtema ground from 20 to 24 December, a preparatory event ahead of the congregation.

As per the government decision, the first phase of the Bishwa Ijtema, organised by Zubayer's followers, will be held from 31 January to 2 February next year, and the second phase, organised by Saad followers, from 7 to 9 February.

Since the announcement of the Ijtema dates, clashes between the two factions have grown.