On 17th Dec 2024, at approximately 3:00 am in the morning, the Tongi Ijtema ground was attacked. The attack was directed on the workers who were preparing the field for the Jan 2025 Tongi Ijtema.
Many were injured. So far, 4 person has been confirmed martyred during the attack. One of the martyrs is ‘Md Aminul Islam Bachchu from Pakundia Upazila of Kishoreganj District’.
According to a senior nurse at Tongi’s Master Ahsanullah General Hospital, “Most of the dead and injured had head injuries.” Head injuries always lean into a narrative of intent to inflict severe bodily harm that can potentially kill or, at the very least, substantially incapacitate the victim.
WARNING! Brutal scenes above ☝️☝️☝️
Press statement by Mufi Mamunul Hoque
Full Translation:
Assalamu ala sayyidul mursalin wala alihi wa ashabihi ajmain.
Last night, there was a sudden attack at the World Ijtema grounds in Tongi. According to the latest news, four people have been martyred and countless people have been seriously injured. Several people are still missing. Almost all sleeping people there were in a state of panic and had to leave the field leaving behind their belongings and other items.
Today we are meeting here in the Home Ministry conference room in Kakrail with responsible Islamic scholars and representatives who are present under the leadership of Maulana Zubair Saheb of Shurai Nezam. We have gathered here in this meeting with the honorable Home Affairs Advisor presiding. Seven government advisors were present along with important officials from various state institutions and top officials from law enforcement agencies.
We had a pre-scheduled meeting today. The main agenda was how to successfully conduct the World Ijtema and related matters in the coming days. But after last night’s situation and this sudden attack, the main topic of today’s meeting has changed to how to handle the emerging situation and how to maintain peace and order in the country in this situation.
We primarily want very sincerely that no new disorder is created in the country. The safety of people’s lives is our top priority. Based on that, we had discussions with great patience. We came to today’s meeting with bleeding hearts after four of our brothers were martyred, creating a painful situation. Even then, we tried to show utmost sincerity so that there is no further loss of life and property.
Among the things discussed, the main point is that many have called last night’s incident a clash between two sides. We have strictly said, and all present members agreed, that this was not a clash at all but rather a one-sided attack in the darkness of night. It was an attack on sleeping people – an attack by one side, meaning the Saad Ponthis (Maulana Saad Fanatics) attacked and killed our innocent people and injured countless others there.
this was not a clash at all but rather a one-sided attack in the darkness of night
So this point is absolutely clear that this was not any clash but a one-sided attack. In light of this attack, we have strongly demanded that those specifically involved in this attack before – there is already much evidence in public about who broke in through gates and boundaries – their video footage has spread widely on social media and is also in the possession of law enforcement agencies.
there is already much evidence in public about who broke in through gates and boundaries
Therefore, our strong primary demand was and remains that all individuals involved in these killings must be arrested, and we want to see those arrests happen by today. We have made this strong demand, and the law enforcement agencies along with the honorable Home Affairs Advisor have assured us that they will not delay in taking legal action and no criminal will be spared.
We want to trust their assurance. Along with that, we discussed that they forcefully entered the field where the current situation has developed – the Saad Ponthis entered forcefully, challenging all decisions of law enforcement and the government, violating everything in a terrorist manner. They have left that field and meanwhile Section 144 has been imposed there by law enforcement.
We believe that for controlling the situation, we stand in solidarity with and have promised to cooperate with the steps they have taken. However, since the Ijtema grounds have been operated year-round under the leadership of our Islamic scholars for almost seven years now – they are only given the grounds for 4-5 days based on decisions to accommodate the Saad Ponthis, and after the Ijtema ends, the grounds are handed back to us Islamic scholars through the administration – accordingly there are vast amounts of materials worth hundreds of crores of taka that are used for Ijtema work. So to guard and preserve all those materials, our volunteer force will remain active there along with law enforcement.
Since Ijtema time is approaching, with vast preparations, we have been assured by the administration that they will fully cooperate with us in taking necessary preparations to properly conduct the Ijtema in due time. Along with that, our strong demand is that through repeated terrorist attacks, the message that the Saad Ponthis have given – I won’t say just to us but to Bangladesh – is that they have thrown a challenge to the Bangladeshi state. For the past two days, meetings and discussions were happening with all important state officials, every state agency and institution, and top level administrative officials that everything would be resolved through discussion – whatever demands there may be would be resolved through discussion. There were announcements of pre-scheduled meetings at 11 AM and 12 PM today from the Home Affairs Advisor.
The arrangements were there and everything was supposed to be finalized in those meetings. Even last night, the leaders of the anti-discrimination movement had discussions with them. Late at night, their delegation led by Sargis Alam and Hasnat Abdullah was engaged in meetings with scholars and elders at Kakrail. The attack happened during that time. At that time Hasnat Abdullah and Sargis Alam requested by phone to the top leaders of the Saad Ponthis that no one should enter the Ijtema grounds without government permission. But ignoring everyone and all decisions, they entered in a terrorist manner and injured sleeping people like this.
The message they are trying to give to the whole world about Bangladesh – it is clear to us that they are now playing the role of anti-Bangladesh forces. Therefore, we believe that countering these evil forces is not just the work of Islamic scholars but also of the Bangladeshi state and administration. From that position, our clear demand is that in 2018 also they carried out attacks like this and seriously injured 5000 people and killed several people then too. But no proper legal action was taken against them then for mysterious reasons. Again they have repeated the same incident.
In 2018 also they carried out attacks like this and seriously injured 5000 people and killed several people then too
Therefore, we have demanded that these Saad Ponthis be declared a terrorist organization and banned. We hope proper steps will be taken regarding this matter too. They are not just an opposing faction but through these kinds of terrorist activities, they have presented themselves as a terrorist group before the nation and the world. So we hope proper steps will be taken regarding this.
Meanwhile, in this emerging situation, all of Bangladesh is in an explosive state. Students in every district and every police station are at peak agitation. Four of their brothers have been martyred, several are still missing, and the number of injured is countless. In this situation, to calm down this explosive Bangladesh and all our followers – the religious Muslims, the student community – we had announced a program that tomorrow afternoon there would be a long march towards the Tongi Ijtema grounds from across the country.
Now in today’s meeting, the honorable Home Affairs Advisor and senior government authorities have requested us, since they have promised to fulfill all our other demands and fruitful discussions have taken place, they have requested us to withdraw our long march program for tomorrow. We cannot make a final announcement about this right now since an Islamic scholars’ conference is being held at Kakrail mosque and they are waiting for us. We will go there with the meeting results, discuss with them, and then give a final announcement about tomorrow’s program.
This was the summary of today’s meeting. We hope that the way we are peacefully working together to counter all anti-national conspiracies and maintain peace and order in the country, we will continue to work shoulder to shoulder with the current interim government and post-August revolution Bangladesh against any attempts to create disorder at any cost. We are determined to counter any conspiracy against Bangladesh.
Q: Let me mention that what you do is basically dawah work (preaching) to people. When there is such conflict, fighting, clashes between them – what message is actually going out?
A: I will say again with great frustration that you keep saying the same thing about fighting – where was the fight? Robbers came in the darkness of night and attacked people in their home and injured your people. If you now say there was a clash or fight between homeowners and robbers – here they have taken on a disguise and are working as agents of anti-Bangladesh and anti-Islamic international circles to question this noble work of dawah and tabligh.
Q: I am working for my country. My question is that before your meeting, there was also a meeting with the Satkhira scholars. In their statement after the meeting, they also referred to the martyrs but they did not tell the truth that those who died, they are praying for their martyrdom and forgiveness. And they are also saying that we want peace, we don’t want any more division, let peace prevail in the country. If they make some concessions, if the distance between you can be reduced, then we as ordinary people who follow you would feel some relief there.
Second question – you are talking about martyrdom, that four people have died. These people who died are someone’s relatives, someone’s family members, someone’s loved ones. This is a huge loss – sometimes a state sacrifices to save one life. Four people have died. You are saying in your statement that this is sending a wrong message worldwide. Now can this situation be reduced to a place of compromise? Discussions are ongoing…
Their differences and conflicts centered around some ideological and Islamic viewpoints. The worldwide Islamic community and our worldwide tabligh work – and the main center of that tabligh work, specifically Darul Uloom Deoband – from that spiritual place itself there has been a resolution and announcement on this matter. All Islamic scholars of Bangladesh agree on this. So we have tried in the past and will continue our efforts to bring them to the right path. If they have any doubts, we are open to discussions to clear those doubts.
Q: Will there be a case filed from your side?
A: Yes, legal process is ongoing and InshaAllah there will be a case filed today.
Q: Will the Tabligh Jamaat have their Ijtema?
A: Ijtema will definitely happen InshaAllah. But there is no scope now for Saad Ponthis to hold Ijtema. After yesterday’s incident, after they caused such incidents, forget about Ijtema – we expect legal action will be taken against them. After this, the question won’t arise whether they can hold Ijtema or not. If the government cooperates with them regarding Ijtema, we will try to explain to the government. We hope the government won’t make such a mistake.
there is no scope now for Saad Ponthis to hold Ijtema
Q: Sir, we have seen in Bangladesh that there are many Islamic groups – followers go to their respective gatherings/programs. If Saad saheb comes, his followers will go there – isn’t the main conflict about him not being able to come?
A: The issue here is that the Ijtema grounds and Kakrail mosque are allocated for a specific purpose – that is tabligh work. There is a framework for how tabligh work should be done. You have to work within that framework. Now if another organization comes to Kakrail and demands – if today Khilafat Majlis or Hefazat-e-Islam or Jamaat-e-Islam demands to hold Ijtema at Tongi grounds – will anyone give permission? Therefore, the Tongi Ijtema grounds and Kakrail mosque have been officially allocated for a specific purpose.
We believe all scholars of Bangladesh collectively think that since they have deviated from the core principles of the work done in the name of Tabligh Jamaat, they no longer retain the moral right to use these Tabligh spaces.
Q: You were together before, right?
A: Yes, let me answer brother’s question. Brother, I want to ask you a question. You’re like a political leader brother. I’m a leader. This Tabligh matter – people see it more as politics. There is a religious gravity here. My question to you is – this one side and another side – to us this sounds like political rhetoric. Can you suggest a way – everyone is very frustrated about why this incident happened – how can there be a solution?
A: The matter was proceeding through peaceful process for resolution, and there one side violated it. So the responsibility is entirely theirs. I cannot elaborate more on this. Legal process is ongoing and we hope InshaAllah there will be a case filed today.
[Brief remarks in Arabic]
My respected elders present here, my colleagues and journalist brothers, Assalamu Alaikum. First, I remember with deep respect our four brothers who were martyred last night – may Allah grant them paradise, forgive their grave’s punishment, and make hellfire forbidden for them. And those who were injured, may they recover very quickly – we will all pray to Allah for this and we will definitely arrange proper medical treatment if needed. Here brother Mamunul Haq has already answered everything. I don’t have any such questions, but if any of you have any questions, you can ask.
Q: They have announced a date in November. Since they don’t want Saad followers to take part, then what will happen to this date? Number one – he said those involved in the killings would be arrested by today.
A: Listen, those involved in the killings must definitely be brought under law. There is no scope for any leniency in this. Killers cannot be given any leniency under any circumstances. And my brother will file a case today itself – for the four who were killed, and along with that whoever we find to be truly guilty, we will bring them under law.
Regarding dates – will Tabligh Jamaat be able to do it, will Saad Ponthis be able to hold Ijtema? Brother, one thing they are discussing nicely among themselves – to unite the different groups. You also want everyone to unite. If they discuss again and can come to a resolution, what is the government’s position?
The government’s position – whatever the government says. Let brothers discuss. Yes, what is the government’s position? Are there still two states or not? We haven’t even done that yet, but let brothers discuss. After discussion, we will make a decision. Thank you.
Hasnat Abdullah’s account
Hasnat Abdullah is a prominent figure and considered one of the heroes of Bangladesh that led to the toppling of the previous government. He was close to the far end of his consultations at the Kakrail mosque when the Saad Mob had forcibly entered into the Ijtema grounds and were taking violent actions with a variety of home-grown weapons (such as sticks, steel rods, etc.) to neutralize the volunteers representing the shurayi faction.
Hasnat Abdullah is personally very close to at least two of the Ministers of the cabinet. His strong condemnation augurs ill for the future influence of the Saadists on the Interim Government.
Key Saad People in Bangladesh
- Top most leader: Wasiful Islam
- Dr. Kazi Erteza Hassan is a controversial industrialist who contested elections with the Awami League. He is the son-in-law of Wasiful Islam, and author of Sheikh Hasina’s Religious Thought Book
- Mahfuz Anam is Wasiful Islam’s brother-in-law and the editor of The Daily Star newspaper
- Mufti Osama Islam is the son of Syed Wasiful Islam and brother-in-law of Dr. Kazi Erteza Hassan, and nephew of Mahfuz Anam
Did Usama Islam travel to Israel?
Following the attack, a Bangladesh Newspaper Daily Naya Diganta, published an article exposing Usama Islam and Saad Group Leader’s connection to Israel.
The video and Naya Diganta article made several questionable and implausible claims. We have published an article to debunk and question the claims made by the video.
See Article: Did Usama Islam travel to Israel?
Osama not a mufti, maulana can be said
Yes, he is not a Mufti… but we have to write it for SEO purpose… just like how we have to say ‘Maulana Saad’ eventhough Saad is not a qualified A’alim.
May Allah protect the truth Amin.