Shah Ahmed Shafi laid to rest

Hefazat-e-Islam chief Shah Ahmed Shafi was laid to rest at Hathazari Madrasah graveyard in Chattogram on Saturday afternoon.

His namaz-e-janaza was held on the madrasah premises with participation of thousands of people and supporters of Hefazat, reports UNB.

His eldest son Maulana Mohammad Yusuf Madani conducted the namaz-e-janaza around 2pm. Later, Shafi was buried at the madrasah graveyard.

People came from different parts of the country to attend the janaza. Some top Islamic scholars of the country were present at the janaza.

Due to huge crowd inside the madrasah, the coffin carrying the body was taken from the madrasah ground to a local bungalow.

Funeral prayers were conducted from there.

Earlier, his body-carrying vehicle reached the madrasah premises at 10 am on Saturday.

Meanwhile security was tightened in four upazilas of Chattogram to avoid any untoward situation over the burial of Ahmed Shafi.

Shafi breathed his last at a hospital in the capital on Friday evening at the age of 104, within 24 hours of resignation from his post at the Hathazari Madrasah in the face of student protests.

Sources at the Chattogram district administration said additional police and members of Bangladesh Border Guard (BGB) and Rapid Action Battalion were deployed in Hathazari, Patiya, Rangunia and Fatikchhari upazilas.

Besides, seven magistrates were deployed to maintain law and order in the upazilas from Saturday morning. Of these, four magistrates will be on duty in Hathazari upazila, said Md Omar Faruk, an assistant commissioner at the Deputy Commissioner's office.

He said additional security measures were taken to prevent any unpleasant situation at Hathazari Madrasah centering the student protests and the closure of the madrasah.

Along with police, 20 platoons BGB and RAB members were on duty, led by seven magistrates, in the four upazilas, the official said, adding that all the security measures have been taken.

Students of the madrasah have been agitating since last Wednesday last.

Anas Madani, a son of Allama Ahmad Shafi, director general of the madrasah, was withdrawn on Wednesday night in the face of demands of the students.

The protests turned violent after the Ministry of Education issued a notification on Thursday closing the madrasah for an indefinite period.

Under the circumstances, Shafi announced his resignation from his post around 12am on Thursday.

Later, he fell sick and was admitted to Chattogram Medical College Hospital. When his condition deteriorated, he was taken to Dhaka by an air ambulance on Friday afternoon.

He died there around 7:00 pm.

Shah Ahmad Shafi was the rector of Al-Jamiatul Alia Darul Unum Moinul Islam Hathazari, to give the institution its full name, and also the chairman of Bangladesh Qawmi Madrasah Education Board.

He was born in 1916 (1334-35 AH) in Rangunia of Chattogram and was educated at Hathazari Madrasah and Darul Uloom Deoband.

Shafi started his career as a teacher at AL-Jamiatul Ahlia Darul Ulum Moinul Islam Hathazari Madrasah in Chattogram.