Renewed clash in nat’l mosque: 50 injured

At least 50 people were injured yesterday at the national mosque, Baitul Mukarram, in clashes between pro and anti-Khatib people fighting a battle in and outside the mosque during Juma prayers.

Witnesses said the two groups — one supporting the newly appointed Khatib, Maulana Salahuddin and another opposing the appointment under the banner of ‘Baitul Mukarram Masjid Musalli Samaj’ — clashed inside the mosque as soon as Khatib Maulana Salahuddin began Khutba (sermons) at around 1.00pm.

Several hundred protesters, mostly Kaomi Madrasa students and teachers, started slogans against new Khatib Principal Mohammad Salauddin as soon as he started delivering Jumma sermon, source said.

Of the injured, 16 were admitted to different hospitals in the city while others were given first aid.

Khatib’s supporters then beat up the protesters and drove them away from the mosque triggering the battle.

Later the anti-Khatib people held a separate congregation for jumma prayers outside the mosque.

Mahmud, an activist of the Musalli Samaj, said the trouble started when some musullis refused to say their prayers behind Maulana Salahuddin. The Khatib’s supporters beat up the protesters and forced them out of the mosque.

The protesting musallis then joined a separate juma’ congregation, led by Mufti Abdullah, on the road near the north gate of Baitul Mukarram Mosque. Later, they brought out a procession carrying shoes and shouted slogans demanding the removal of new Khatib.

Extra police were deployed in the area to avert any further trouble.

Mahmud, said they are on a movement under the banner of `Baitul Mukarram Masjid Musalli Samaj’ demanding removal of the newly appointed Khatib Maulana Salahuddin for his “questionable” character.

He claimed that Maulana Salahuddin was earlier removed from the post of Khatib of a mosque in Mirpur and of Dhanmondi Eidgah Jame Mosque due to allegations about his character.

At least 50 people were injured on last two Fridays in clashes over the new Khatib, he added.

On January 4, the Musalli Samaj submitted a memorandum to the Islamic Foundation demanding removal of Maulana Salahuddin, who was appointed Khatib to the National Mosque on January 1.

Until the appointment of Maulana Salahuddin, Maulana Nuruddin was acting as Khatib of the mosque since the death of previous Khatib Maulana Obaidul Haq in October 2007.

Source: The New Nation