CHATTOGRAM, Aug 19: Junaid Babunagari, Ameer of radical Islamic group Hefazat-e-Islam, died at a hospital in Chattogram on Thursday.
"Babunagari was taken to the CSCR Hospital in Chattogram in the morning from Hathazari Madrasa after he fell ill. There he died around 12:45pm," said Mir Idris Nadvi, central Organising
Secretary of Hefazat.
Babunagari, 70, was serving as the head of Hefazat's headquarters -- Al-Jamiatul Ahlia Darul Uloom Moinul Islam Madrasa, popularly known as Hathazari Madrasa.
He was suffering from cardiac problems and other health issues.
Babunagari came to lead the organisation after a varied series of events following the death of long-term Hefazat chief Allama Shah Ahmad Shafi on September 18 in 2020.
It was during Babunagari's leadership that the Qawmi-madrasa based organisation became embroiled in the anti-sculpture protests in 2020.
The Islamist group has been under pressure due to arrests of its top leaders after violent protests against Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit in March over his government's policy towards Muslims.
At one stage, Hefazat-e-Islam leaders announced that they will continue to work
as a non-political Islamist group.
Earlier on Sunday, the education board overseeing the Qawmi madrasas
announced a ban on politics by the students and teachers of the institutions. Hefazat leaders are often accused of using innocent young students in violent protests.
Meanwhile, the pro-BNP-Jamaat faction took the grip of Hefajat-e-Islam Bangladesh in a council session held at Hathazari Madrasa premises held on November 15 last year, when a 151-member central committee was announced, comprising mostly BNP-Jamaat men.
In the council, then Secretary General Junayed Babunagari, an anti-Shafi leader, was announced as the Ameer of the party while Nur Hussain Kashemi as the Secretary General.
Hefajat-e-Islam came to the political scene of the country after staging a massive demonstration at Shapla Square at Motijheel in the capital in 2013.
