Waaz Mehfils nowadays have become well known for contributing to sound pollution with sermons that go on well into the night, vehement criticism of the entertainment industry and slamming women for the way they dress.
Scholars are of the view that the mehfils have both positive and negative effects, while some think that the audience for religious sermons is dwindling.
They are also contemplating whether the use of megaphones can be avoided given that the loud sounds late into the night is a cause of discomfort for many.
On the use of megaphones during these events, Jahangirnagar University Anthropology Department teacher Professor Syed Ferdous said that many might think that a particular area might only have Muslims living there and the loud sermons are okay.
“The fact is just because they are Muslims it’s not necessary that they’ll like it. Some might even be ill.”
Young writer and scholar Mowlana Salauddin Jahangir says that Waaz Mehfils were not regular back in the day and happened only once a year.
He added that given the interval people used to see them as festivals but it’s not the same anymore with mehfils happening every other day and they are often accompanied by excessive number of megaphones blaring well into the late hours.
Meanwhile, Mufti Nurul Islam, a madrasa teacher in the capital’s Mirpur says that the loud sermons are one of the reasons why the waaz listeners are on the decline.
“Who doesn’t get annoyed by loud sounds? This is why listeners are dwindling,” he told Bangla Tribune.
He added that although these programs are organized regularly, people are losing interest in these sermons.
On whether audience for these programs has indeed plummeted, Manikganj’s Ulema Parishad leader Mufti Atiqur Rahman said, “I won’t go into whether listeners have gone down but we have already started to work on reducing the megaphones.”
“We have limited the arrangements this year. We are only using sound boxes,” he added.
Drawing on Biswa Ijtema he said that thousands of people participate in it but the sound doesn’t really go out of the designated area. “We need to make sure that the same can be done for mehfils.”
He added that people no longer want to physically attend these gatherings as the megaphones have a wide range.
Manikganj’s Jamiatul Abrar Madrasa Principal Mowlana Fakhruddin says that blocking the roads to for mehfils actually make people suffer.
“It is better to hold these mehfils at a time when it won’t cause distress to people or disrupt their sleep. It is against the religion to make people suffer.”
Doctors meanwhile say that using this many megaphones are harmful for the environment as well as people’s health.
“Normally the ear cells are damaged if the sound is above 50 decimal. The hearing cells are damaged and the blood pressure increases,” Sir Salimullah College Otolaryngology Department Professor Dr Moni Lal Aich Litu told Bangla Tribune.
He added this violates the environment laws as well in addition to distracting people and being harmful for their health.
In 2006, the Sound Pollution Control Guidelines came into effect under the Bangladesh Environment Conservation Act 1995.
Under the guidelines, the sound frequency has been determined for mixed, residential and commercial zones. The strike under the law will result in one month in jail or Tk 5,000 fine or both. If committed for the second time, the perpetrators will get six months jail time or Tk 10,000 fine or both.
Jahangirnagar University Anthropology Department teacher Professor Syed Ferdous says that in the past social issues albeit religious were the topics of discussion at Waaz Mehfils. However, the topics have now changed.
“Nowadays the speaker abruptly starts singing and like to discuss juicy topics,” she said.
“This might be due to the fact that the demands of the audience have changed. The waaz that they liked to hear back in the day might not be what they want now.”
The scholars say that the speakers in our country often let their opposing views of other factions reflect in their sermons. Sometimes these differences lead to clashed like last year when a number of people died in Sylhet in a clash between opposing factions.
Regarding the criticism of other factions during Waaz Mehfils, Salauddin Jahangir said that there is no end to the divisions in the name of religion.
“It’s a normal thing. There has always been differences in views and faith of the factions of a religion,” he told Bangla Tribune.
“If those differences lead to one faction slamming the other, the point of preserving the religion is lost,” he added.
He complained that the speakers of one faction crticises the speaker of another faction often with derogatory comments and threats.
Many complain that the topic of how women dress and them covering up is often talked about with denigrating criticisms during these programs.
“Of course you can talk about covering up. But one has to be careful that it’s not done in a manner that’s not demeaning,” said a well known Lalbag Jamiya Quryani Arabia Madrasa mufti, wishing to remain anonymous.
He added that this is hurtful for the sentiments of women those who don’t follow religious rules and one should not be forced to follow the ways of Islam.
Cultural activists are divided when it comes to the influence of Waaz Mehfils.
Munir Ahmed, the editor of an online news portal says that during these mehfils the entire area remains in a festive mood and people find a new hope to give up “the dishonest ways,” and come to the path of religion.
“There is obviously a positive influence as issues related to the Muslim heritage, Islamic guidelines and family and society are talked about,” he said.
He added that this has a good impact on the society in general and celebrates the unity of Muslims.
Meanwhile, the BNP chief’s press wing member and Co-President of the party’s Social and Cultural Presidium, Shairul Kabir Khan sees things a bit differently.
“Waaz mehfils and Jatras [popular folk-theatre form of Bengali theatre] in Bangladesh were part of the winter culture back in the day,” he told Bangla Tribune.
He added that cultural activities like madrasa-mosque based Waaz Mehfils and school-college centred Jatras were normal back then.
“The speakers used to come from far away. Moreover, relatives of those living in an area where Waaz was organised used to come from far distance,” he said and added that this tradition was gradually becoming extinct.
Khan says that in the last 20-25 years the madrasa-mosque centred mehfils were hindered with the secularism propaganda.
“On the other hand religious bigotry has hidered Jatras,” he said that illogical competition has snubbed the cultural growth of people.
Jahangirnagar University teacher Syed Ferdous says that it’s possible to talk about other religions other then Islam during Waaz Mehfils and said that being sensitive to other religion was imperative.
“I think we should be sensitive to the rights of the people belonging to other religions, even if they’re just two percent,” he said.
He added that while everyone is entitled to preach their religion being aware of the general people’s well being is also important and the administration can take a responsible role to ensure that a suitable time and place be allocated for these mehfils.

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