Prisoners for the cause of Allah

- Ahmad Tabshir Choudhury

Ahmadies all over the world are known as a peace loving and law abiding
community. They preach their faith with love, affection, logic and humbleness.
Their motto is “LOVE FOR ALL, HATRED FOR NONE”. But, like the followers of
other prophets and truth-seekers of human history, Ahmadies also have been the
subject of persecution from the very beginning. The 118 years of history of
Ahmadiyyat shows that Ahmadies are tortured, imprisoned even murdered cool-
bloodedly for their beliefs. However, there is not a single instance where they
retaliated or became unruly in any occasion even at the time of severe
persecution. Like some other countries, Ahmadies in Bangladesh were
also tortured, killed brutally and imprisoned for their belief. Today, I am
going to narrate a brief story of a recent incident.

Mahilla is a remote village under Rangamati District. Rangamati is one of the three
hilly districts (previously it was one district known as Chittagong Hill Tracts) of
Chittagong Division. About 4 years (March, 2003) back some people of that village
accepted Ahmadiyyat. At present there are about 25/30 families comprising of
about 250 members in total. Since the members of that area are mostly poor and
have attained the capacity to run a Jamaát independently, it was put under the
supervision of our Chittagong city Jama'at. Accordingly, Chittagong jamaát used to
send regular teams for the taleem and tarbiyyat (religious education) of the people
there. District Nazem of Majlis Ansarullah Syed Amin Ahmad also paid visits with a
combined team of Jamaa't several times and recently established "Halqa nizamat”
there. Under the instruction of Huzur Anwar, recently Bangladesh Jama'at has
undertaken special Taleem and Tarbiyyati programmes for the new converts
involving the auxiliary organizations in it. As a part that programme Maolana
Abdul Aziz Sadeq sahib (70), a retired Missionary, who is also National Secretary
Tarbiyyat Nou Mubayeen of Bangladesh Jamaát and Qaid Tabligh of Majlis
Ansarullah Bangladesh along with Maolana Abdul Matin, Zonal Missionary of
Chittagong and Moallem Muniruzzaman went to Mahilla on a 5 days Taleem-
Tarbiyyati programme. The Team reached Mahilla on Thursday. Local Muallem
Zikr-e-Elahi and school teacher Mufazzal Haq who is also a local resident joined
them there. The programme started from Friday (May 18) morning. By this time
they met some local non-Ahmadi people including members of law enforcing
authorities. According to local members of the Jamaát they also invited them
including in-charge of nearby Armed Police camp to have tea with them. Suddenly,
on Saturday (May 19) night around 9 p.m. when almost all the local members of
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the Jamaát left for their homes for the day and others were preparing for rest, a
messenger came from the nearby Armed Police Battalion camp stating that the In-
charge of the camp has asked the guests to report to him immediately. As Maolana
Abdul Aziz Sadeq sahib, an aged person and went to sleep, others including
Maolana Abdul Matin, Moallem Muniruzzaman, Moallem Zikr-e-Elahi and school
teacher Mufazzal Haq went to the camp. As soon as they reached the camp they
were arrested and local Ahmadi people accompanying them were asked to go back
to their respective homes. Then the Camp In-charge, who was a "Subedar" of
Armed Police Battalion went to our mosque and asked Maolana Abdul Aziz Sadeq
saheb, who was sleeping to go with him to the camp. Thus all the five people were
arrested. The local sources said that the Camp In-charge is an anti-Ahmadi and
has good rapport with the local anti-Ahmadiyya elements. He with ill motive
informed the higher authority that he has arrested some "Militants" although he
was aware about the real identity of the persons. The sources also said that the
local anti-Ahmadiyya elements have threatened local Ahmadis of grave
consequences if they do not denounce their faith. They specially warned those
Ahmadies who are members of Govt. organized local defense force known as
Ansars and Village Defense Party (VDP) either to leave the Ahmadiyya beliefs or to
lose their jobs.

They news came to us in Dhaka very late (next day afternoon) as there is no
mobile telecommunication in hill districts and the land phone system is also not
easily available. By this time the arrestees were sent to Baghaichhari Police Station
where they reached at the late night on Sunday (May 20), e.g. after 24 hours.
However, knowing the real identity, the Thana authority (Police Station) behaved
well with them and instead of keeping them under lock-up, they kept them in a
separate room and were supplied with good foods from police mess on payment.

It is worth noting, the news of the arrests could not reach Dhaka National
Newspapers due to lack of communication system and the fact that the area is one
of the most remote hilly areas of the country. But despite of these, Naya Digonto,
a Jamate Islami organ newspaper brought out an accurate report of the incident
on the 21st May!

As soon as the news came to us in Dhaka, we took various measures and

contacted higher authority and local, district and divisional police. All of them
showed very positive attitude. Next day (Monday), the Superintendent of Police of
Rangamati sent an inquiry team comprising Officer In-Charge of Baghaichhari P.S.
and UNO (Sub-district Administrative officer) of that area. The inquiry team visited
that area, talked to the responsible local people and found no allegation against
the arrested Ahmadies.

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 On the other hand, a team from our National Head Quarters comprising Major
(Retd.) Akram Ahmad, Mr. Mutahhar Ahmad Choudhury and Khadem Saber Ahmad
accompanying two members of our Chittagong Jamaát Mr. Azizul Haq, retired
Additional Superintendent of Police and Engr. Syed Mubarak Ahmad reached
Ranagamati town on Tuesday (May 22) morning and met district officials. Same
day, police brought Maulana Abdul Aziz Sadeq Saheb and other four and produced
them before the Rangamati Court. Our team present in Rangamati tried to get
their bail, but the court refused to grant them bail as police clearance report were
not available at that time and gave next date of hearing on June 06, 2007 and
ordered to send them to jail till next hearing.

However, a central team of our Jama’at comprising of Secretary Umoore ‘Ama

A.K. Rezaul Karim sahib and my humble-self approached the highest authority of
Police Head Quarters on Tuesday afternoon. The police high-ups took the matter
very seriously and ordered the district and local offices to take immediate steps for
their release. The police then submitted their final clearance report on Wednesday
(May 23) and the court finally dismissed the case and ordered for their release.

The ‘prisoners for the cause of Allah’ were released from the jail on the same day.
They all were in good health and spirits, Alhamdulillah, summa Alhmadulillah. They
all including the central Team headed by Major (Retd.) Akram sahib decided to
stay back at Rangamati for the night. Next morning (Friday, May 25), they left
Rangamati and reached Chittagong before Jum’a where Moalana Abdul Aziz Sadeq
sahib delivered the Friday Sermon and lead the Jum’a prayer at Masjid Baitul
Baset. After Jum’a, the central team along with Maolana Abdul Aziz Sadeq sahib
left for Dhaka and arrived at the National Quarter on same day at 9 p.m. where
they were warmly received by Missionary In-charge and Na’ib National Ameer
Maolana Abdul Awwal Khan Chowdhury, Na’ib National Ameer Muhammad
Faizullah, myself, some members of National Majlis ‘Amela, Khuddam and
members of the Jamaát.

During these days, our Jamaát has received all sorts of cooperation and sympathy
from civil and military administration starting from HQ to local. Our ‘prisoners for
the cause of Allah’ also received co-operation and cordial treatment both from the
local police and jail authority. May Allah reward them all for their good gesture,
Amen.

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On his return to Dhaka Maolana Abdul Aziz Sadeq sahib was warmly greeted by Missionary In-
charge and Na’ib National Ameer Maolana Abdul Awwal Khan Chowdhury, Sadr Ansarullah Ahmad
Tabshir Choudhury and some members of National Majlis Amila, Khuddams and members of the
Jamaát at the National Head Quarter Dhaka. – Photo : Khalid Ahmad

Written on May 28, 2007