Chief_Adviser
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Registration date : 2008-06-10
 |  Subject: New Khatib termed 'controversial' by IOJ chief..................  Fri Jan 16, 2009 2:39 pm | |
|  Islami Oikya Jote chairman Fazlul Haque Amini called the new Khatib of Baitul Mokarram National Mosque a 'controversial figure' on Friday after skirmishes and shoe-throwing similar to incidents during the previous week's Jumma prayers.
Devotees at the mosque had earlier booted out opponents of the newly appointed Khatib Salahuddin.
As he began reading out the Khutbah (sermon) at around 12.45pm, a group of mosque goers raised a hue and cry and began throwing shoes in the Khatib's direction.
Another group tried to stop them, which entailed scuffles, fists and boots. The 'dissenters' were eventually beaten and driven out of the mosque with the Khatib resumed his reading.
One of the dissenters, Idris Hossain, said: "I don't even know the new Kahtib."
But, the madrassa student from Jatrabari claimed: "We were told by (IOJ chief) Fazlul Haque Amini that the new Khatib was not qualified to lead the prayers, and he sent us to protest."
Amini said: " It is not true that I sent anyone to Baitul Mokarram to protest."
"But the new Kahtib is a controversial figure."
After they were chased out, the dissenters gathered at the north gate of the mosque and offered prayers led by Hafez Maulana Mufti Abdullah.
Mufti Abdullah, while delivering the Khutbah, declared that saying prayers under the new Khatib's leadership "was not right".
The devotees continued their protests against the new Khatib parading the street with shoes in hand and demanding Salahuddin's removal.
Moshtaque Ahmed, a supporter of the new Khatib, said he was a simple devotee and that they were "forced to oust the rioters from the hall of Allah". | |
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