Maulana Fazlur Rehman, head of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F).

Recently a religious leader from Pakistan addressed a huge gathering in Bangladesh. Maulana Fazlur Rehman, head of Pakistan’s radical Islamic party Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), put forward many things in the religious meeting. During this, he put pressure on Bangladesh to implement blasphemy law like Pakistan.

Two very influential religious leaders of Pakistan openly tried to put pressure on Bangladesh in a huge religious event held in Dhaka. He wants Bangladesh to implement blasphemy law like Pakistan and declare Ahmadiyya community as non-Muslims.

Pakistani religious leader addressed

Pakistan’s religious leader addressed Khamar-e-Nabuwat at Suhravarti Maidan in Dhaka. Khamar-e-Nabuwat Grand Conference started with formal speeches at 9 am and continued till 3:30 pm. Radical Islamic scholars from 5 countries participated in this program, including a large delegation from Pakistan. 35 religious leaders of Pakistan participated in it, out of which 19 gave speeches in this conference.

Member of National Assembly of Pakistan and President of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Pakistan Maulana Fazlur Rehman and senior leader of Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat Maulana Aurangzeb Farooqui addressed the huge gathering.

What did you say about the blasphemy law?

According to cnn-news18, both the religious leaders strongly demanded that Bangladesh adopt strict blasphemy laws based on the structure like Pakistan. He presented his message with the slogan of “Muslim unity” and said, “From Kabul to Bangladesh we will win.”

Maulana Fazlur Rehman said, we have shed blood to save the honor of our Prophet in Pakistan and will shed it again if necessary. They are infidels and you too, like us, should protect the honor of the prophets. He also pressured Bangladeshi clerics to declare the Ahmadiyya/Qadiyani community as non-Muslim.

What is the meaning of speech?

According to experts, the message of Pakistani clerics matches with the efforts to create or spread extremist networks in South Asia. For this, issues like religious identity and blasphemy are being used as tools to instigate people.

Its timing is also important, because general elections are near in Bangladesh. This has increased the concern that external forces may try to influence the political environment of the country by spreading strict religious narratives.

What is the blasphemy law in Bangladesh?

There is a huge difference between the blasphemy laws of Pakistan and Bangladesh. In Pakistan, the laws were further tightened during the era of General Zia-ul-Haq (1980s). In this, sections 295-B and 295-C of the Penal Code were added, under which insulting Prophet Mohammad can lead to death penalty.

In comparison, Bangladesh still uses its colonial-era Section 295-A, which punishes a maximum of two years in prison for intentionally insulting religion.