Hifazat-e Islam Amir Shah Ahmed Shafi warned of dire consequences in case of any intervention in waaz mehfils.
His remarks came on Thursday (Apr 11) during a discussion meeting regarding the home ministry’s recommendations on these religious gatherings.
Saying that Waaz mehfils and calling people to the path of religion was a very important job for the Islamic scholars, he added, “Top scholars are enough to monitor this issue.”
Shafi said that the intervention will turn the Islamic scholars and government against each other.
He added that the “atheists, heretics” in the administration who opposed the recognition of the Qawmi degree are behind confusing the government regarding waaz mehfils.
“A scholar is duty bound to preach the teachings of Quran and it shouldn’t be controlled under any pretext.”
The home ministry made six observations about waaz mehfils in the wake of complaints that these religious sermons foment sectarianism, instigate social division, make derogatory comments about members from the showbiz and denounce women who do not observe the hijab.
In a report late last month, the home ministry named 15 speakers, whose sermons encourage communalism, militancy, intolerance against women’s emancipation, anti-democratic and anti-state propagandas.
The ministry wrote to the Bangladesh Islamic Foundation, National Revenue Board and all divisional commissioners to take steps against them along with the six recommendations.
Following the recommendations that preachers who charge money should be brought under income tax and must be brought under the law if their sermons contain seditious elements, scholars have accused the government of attempting to control these religious gatherings.