Imams vital in preventing militancy: Tuku

9 July 2010, 18:00 PM

Bss, Rajshahi

Imams and other islamic scholars could play pivotal role in preventing militancy to make the nation free from its stigma said State Minister for Home Shamsul Haque Tuku. He said the present government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is determined to uproot militancy with collective efforts of all quarters especially the imams and other religious leaders. He was addressing as the chief guest at an imam conference titled "Role of imams to prevent militancy and terrorism" jointly organised by Rajshahi district administration and the Islamic Foundation Bangladesh (IFB) at the Zila Parishad Auditorium on Thursday. He said there is no alternative to complete the trial process of the Liberation War criminals and added that the government is committed to it at any cost. Addressing as the main discussant, Director General of IFB Shamim Muhammad Afzal said Islam has no relation with any sort of militancy, violence and any other anarchic activities rather it is a religion of global peace and tranquility. Tuku underscored the need for proper motivation and counseling among the new generation imams so that they could supplement the government effort to culminate militancy and terrorism along with completing the trial process of the Liberation War criminals. "You have to come forward to foil the conspiracies being hatched by a certain quarter to halt the government efforts," he reminded the imams. Blaming the previous BNP-Jamaat alliance government for patronising the JMB and its destructive activities, the minister said their anti-state and anti-islamic activities are still continuing and urged the religious leaders to resist the conspirators. Local lawmaker Fazley Hossain Badsha and Commissioner of Rajshahi Division Nurul Islam addressed the occasion as special guests with Deputy Commissioner Dilwar Bakth in the chair. Convener of the Trained National Imam Samity Maolana Barkullah Been Durul Huda presented a concept paper on “Role of imams to prevent militancy and terrorism” while IFB Directors Shahadat Hossain and AK Abdul Aziz made their welcome and thanksgiving speeches.