# An Open Letter from Shah Ahmad Shafi to the Government and the Public

On February 19, 2013, Shah Ahmad Shafi, leader of Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh, published an open letter to the public and the government on the front page of Amar Desh. In the letter, he condemned the ongoing Shahbag protests, claiming they were tied to anti-Islamic activities. He accused the Ahmadiyya community and an anti-Islamic online group of involvement, naming individuals such as Shahriar Kabir, Muntassir Mamoon, Zafar Iqbal, Gholam Rabbani, and Ajoy Roy as responsible. Shafi called on the government to take action against these activities and urged the public to speak out against them. This letter marked Hefazat-e-Islam's entry into the political landscape, initiating the Islamist response to the Shahbag protests and leading to the development of its 13-point demand.

## Context

After the Awami League-led 14-party alliance assumed power in 2009, the government established the International Crimes Tribunal on March 25, 2010, with the aim of prosecuting those accused of committing war crimes during the Bangladesh Liberation War, including members of Jamaat-e-Islami. On February 5, 2013, the tribunal sentenced Abdul Quader Mollah to life imprisonment. The verdict, however, was met with dissatisfaction from the 14-party coalition government, which had hoped for harsher punishment.
In response to the ruling, the Blogger and Online Activist Network organized a sit-in protest at Shahbag, demanding the death penalty instead of life imprisonment. Within days, the movement gained widespread attention, receiving both government endorsement and substantial media coverage.
However, the Shahbag protests sparked controversy, as some demonstrators were accused of showing disrespect toward Islamic symbols, including the hijab and the beard. One incident reportedly involved a staged performance in which an actor, dressed in Islamic attire, was struck with a shoe, and a dummy dog was similarly dressed in religious clothing. Such actions provoked significant public outrage, especially after it was revealed that many of the protest organizers were atheists and held views critical of religion.
On February 14, 2013, during the annual gathering at Darul Uloom Hathazari, several speakers voiced their opposition to the behavior exhibited during the Shahbag protests. Shah Ahmad Shafi, in his keynote address, stated, "While we do not oppose the trial of war crimes, the religious community will not remain passive in the face of any conspiracy targeting the ulama, madrasas, Islamic attire, and values." Junaid Babunagari echoed these concerns, noting that since the constitutional amendments introducing secularism, there had been increasing attacks on mosques and Islamic practices. He called for unity among scholars and the general public to counter what he termed "anti-Islamic behavior." Abdul Malek Halim accused the Shahbag protesters of distorting the spirit of the Liberation War to further an agenda aimed at erasing Islam from the country.
Tensions escalated on February 15, 2013, when Rajib Haider, one of the bloggers and key organizers of the Shahbag movement, was killed. Following his death, several national newspapers, i.e., The Daily Sangram, Daily Inqilab, Daily Naya Diganta, and Amar Desh, published his writings, which were widely perceived as Islamophobic. This intensified public anger, prompting Shah Ahmad Shafi to issue an open letter. He tasked Muinuddin Ruhi, Munir Ahmad, and Azizul Haque Islamabadi with drafting the letter, which was published on the front page of Amar Desh on February 19, 2013.

## Core material

The open letter begins with a brief overview of Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh, outlining its objectives. It then presents 14 allegations concerning various anti-Islamic activities associated with the Shahbag protests. These charges include:
* Children of Muslims participating in candle-lighting ceremonies at Shahbag, which were seen as imitating practices of fire-worshippers and pagans.
* Continuous playing of music through loudspeakers, including during prayer times.
* Blogs authored by self-identified atheists and founders of Gana Jagaran Mancha, such as Asif Mohiuddin, which contain highly derogatory content and offensive remarks about Islam, Allah, and the Prophet.
* Public gatherings involving mixed-gender dancing, along with moral corruption, including illicit behavior, obscenity, and the use of alcohol and drugs.
* Protesters wearing attire typically worn by the Imams and Khatibs of Mecca and Medina, known as "koba," while performing mock executions.
* Threats of violence and the use of vulgar language directed at prominent figures in the media and public life from the Shahbag protests stage.
* The act of tying a rope around the neck of a man wearing a beard and a traditional Muslim cap, which is seen as disrespecting Islamic symbols and mocking the Sunnah of the Prophet.
* Indoctrinating young children with aggressive slogans, encouraging divisive behavior.
* Promoting elements of Indian culture that are seen as incompatible with the Islamic traditions of Bangladesh, the second-largest Muslim-majority country in the world.
* Inciting social discord by calling for a ban on all forms of Islamic political activities, which the letter suggests could lead to inevitable conflict.
* Facilitating anti-social behavior by allowing young people to remain at Shahbag late into the night, contributing to public disorder.
* Despite open threats against journalists and newspapers, a portion of the media continues to glorify the Shahbag protests.
* Blocking access to vital medical facilities such as Birdem and Bangabandhu hospitals in capital, causing significant distress and hardship for patients.
* The government's recent closure of several Islamic blogs that had criticized self-identified atheist bloggers and provided evidence of their offensive comments about Islam.
It highlights the involvement of the Ahmadiyya community (referred to as Qadianis) in these protests and points to certain blogs, such as Mukto-Mona and SomeWhereIn, for publishing alleged anti-Islamic content by bloggers like Rajib Haider and Asif Mohiuddin, with specific examples cited alongside screenshots. The letter also names several activists, including Shahriar Kabir, Muntassir Mamoon, Zafar Iqbal, Gholam Rabbani, and Ajoy Roy, as well as atheist and leftist groups, as being behind the protests. It concludes with four demands to the government, calling for action against anti-Islamic activities and individuals, while also urging the protection of Islamist groups' democratic rights. In a final appeal, Shah Ahmad Shafi calls on the public to unite with Hefazat-e-Islam in building a mass movement across the country to counter the influence of atheists, apostates, and anti-Islamic forces.

## Reaction

In response to Shafi's open letter, Imran H. Sarkar, convener of the Shahbag protests, stated that the movement focused solely on prosecuting those accused of crimes against humanity, banning Jamaat-Shibir politics, and boycotting their financial institutions, dismissing claims of any religious agenda. Meanwhile, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) condemned anti-Islamic comments made by some bloggers, accusing the government of enabling such rhetoric, while Jamaat-e-Islami expressed full support for Hefazat-e-Islam. Following the letter's publication, law enforcement and intelligence agencies began investigations. On February 19, a protest march took place in Hathazari demanding the execution of bloggers linked to Shahbag, criticizing secular education policies, insults to Islamic values, and efforts to remove Islamic principles from the constitution. A planned meeting of religious parties at the Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis office in Purana Paltan was blocked by police, resulting in the arrest of eight members, while another meeting, chaired by Syed Faizul Karim in Dhaka, called for the closure of anti-Islamic blogs and the arrest of those promoting such views. Several organizations, including Haqqani Ulama Mashayekh Parishad, Jatiya Ganotantrik Party, and 2,000 scholars from Khulna and Chittagong, voiced support for Shafi's letter. Additionally, Tehrik-e Khatme-e-Nubuwwat held a protest rally in Narayanganj, led by Anayetullah Abbasi, opposing the Shahbag protests.
On February 20, Islami Andolan Bangladesh (IAB) and Islami Oikya Jote organized a mass rally in Dhaka, demanding the execution of bloggers. During their journey to the rally, 15 to 20 IAB workers were injured, and five were arrested following an attack by individuals associated with Chhatra League and Awami League. On the same day, Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu held a press conference warning that strict action would be taken against those publishing derogatory content about religion. Several student organizations, including Chhatra League, Jasad Chhatra League, Students' Union, Socialist Students' Front, Chhatra Maitri, and Revolutionary Student Unity, dismissed the Islamists' claims as propaganda and announced countermeasures. On February 22, various religious and political parties organized nationwide protests after Friday prayers, demanding the punishment of bloggers. Islami Andolan Bangladesh, Islami Oikya Jote, and Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis led the protests, while Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh, under Shah Ahmad Shafi, and 12 other Islamic groups warned of continued demonstrations if anti-religious activities persisted. Jamaat-e-Islami expressed solidarity, condemning the closure of 12 Islamist blogs and Facebook pages. The protests led to clashes with the police, resulting in four deaths and 172 arrests in Dhaka. The Gana Jagaran Mancha in Chittagong was attacked, and the Jamaat-e-Islami office was set on fire. Protesters regrouped at Shahbag, demanding the arrest of Amar Desh editor Mahmudur Rahman for inciting communal tensions. Law enforcement reportedly vandalized the offices of Jamaat-e-Islami, Bangladesh Khilafat Majlis, and other Islamist groups. In response, eight Islamist groups called for a nationwide strike on February 24, which was supported by BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami, while the 14-party alliance and Gana Jagaran Mancha opposed it. Jatiya Party President Hussain Muhammad Ershad condemned any actions disrespecting Islam, and cases were filed against 31,500 people in Khulna, Gaibandha, Bogra, and Rajshahi in connection with the unrest. The strike, which led to the postponement of SSC exams, saw five more deaths and 45 injuries in police clashes.
Amid these events, allegations surfaced suggesting that Jamaat-e-Islami was coordinating with other Islamic parties, though these parties denied the accusations. The government opened communications with Islamic groups, assuring them that religion-based politics would not be banned, promising action against blasphemy, and pledging to address the issue of excessive use of force by law enforcement. Additionally, a message was sent to approximately 100 million mobile phone subscribers, stating that any insult to the Prophet would not be tolerated. In response to Nur Hossain Kasemi's call to curb anti-Islamic activities, a new coalition of nine religious parties and leading scholars, called the 'Defenders of Faith and Homeland,' was formed. Shah Ahmad Shafi was appointed as an adviser to this alliance. The coalition's 23-member committee included leaders from the Bangladesh Khelafat Andolon, Islami Andolan Bangladesh, Islami Oikya Jote, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Bangladesh, Khelafat Majlis, Bangladesh Khilafat Majlis, Bangladesh Nizam-e-Islam Party, Bangladesh Faraizi movement, and Khilafat-e Islami, as well as scholars from 11 Qawmi madrasas in and around Dhaka. The alliance presented six demands to the government, including the immediate punishment of self-proclaimed atheist bloggers who posted offensive comments about Islam, an end to efforts to curtail Islamic political activities, and justice for the victims of police action during protests. On March 8, the alliance organized a protest march. In an effort to maintain relations with the coalition and prevent further escalation, the government adopted strategies to keep the religious parties from joining the broader anti-government movement. Among these efforts was an initiative to grant official recognition to Qawmi madrasas. Government ministers Hasan Mahmud and Jahangir Kabir Nanak were assigned to negotiate with the coalition parties. Meanwhile, the opposition party BNP encouraged the Islamic parties to persist with their movement and reiterated its support. On March 9, Shah Ahmad Shafi convened an all-party Ulama conference at Darul Uloom Hathazari, during which a Long March towards Dhaka was announced for April 6, along with a series of public outreach programs aimed at garnering support.