Hefazat leaders meet home minister over recent arrests

Top leaders of Hefazat-e Islam held a meeting with Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal at his residence in the capital's Dhanmondi area on Monday night.

They demanded not to harass or arrest any of their members unreasonably.

The meeting started at 10 pm and continued till 11 pm.

After the meeting, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan told Prothom Alo on his mobile phone at around 12:30 last night that Hefazat leaders had come to meet him.

According to sources, the leaders talked to the Home Minister over the cases filed by the law enforcement agencies against the central leaders including Mamunul Haque and recent arrests.

Secretary General of the organisation  Nurul Islam Jihadi, Qwami Madrasa Education Board (Befaq) Secretary General Mahfuzul Haque - brother of Hefazat's joint secretary general Mamunul Haque, who was arrested last Sunday- Maulana Ataullah Hafezi and others joined the meeting.

A source said that several police officers were also present at the meeting.

Hefazat leaders have told the home minister they are not against the government and their movement was not against the government. 

Besides, they requested the minister to open the madrasas.

The home minister told them that the police were not harassing innocent people. Only those involved in vandalism were being arrested. 

All that was being done is in accordance with the law, he said, adding, the decision to open or close the madrasa is not a matter for the Home Ministry alone.