A dispute has intensified in Savar over an upcoming urs ceremony at the residence of Kazi Jaber Al Jahangir, a follower of Sureshwar Pir. A group identifying itself as ‘Tawhidi Janata’ has called for the event, scheduled for 26 and 27 August, to be stopped, alleging that controversial remarks concerning Islam are made during such gatherings.
On Sunday, 23 August, representatives of several political and religious organisations submitted written memoranda to the Savar Upazila administration and Savar Model Police Station, seeking intervention to prevent the ceremony. The signatories also urged the authorities to take steps to avoid any confrontation in the area.
Ten people signed the memorandum on behalf of ‘Tawhidi Janata’. They include three leaders of Hefazat-e-Islam, two leaders of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, one Youth Dal leader, one leader of the Bangladesh Khilafat Andolan, one leader of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, a Jamaat-e-Islami activist and a local religious leader.
Among those who signed are Chakulia Pir Maulana Tayebur Rahman Khan; Bangladesh Khilafat Andolan secretary-general Maulana Yusuf Sadiq Haqqani; Hefazat-e-Islam Dhaka District North unit ameer Maulana Ali Akbar Qasemi, secretary-general Maulana Ali Azam and organising secretary Maulana Aminul Islam Qasemi; Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Savar unit president Maulana Ali Ashraf Tayeb; Savar BNP organisational secretary Abdullah Mohammad Abul Khair Bepari and senior vice-president Saidul Ibne Hasib Sohel; Jamaat activist Aminul Islam Amin; and former Savar Youth Dal organisational secretary Mohammad Manju Molla.
Allegations over religious remarks
In their memorandum, the group alleged that Jaber Al Jahangir has made controversial statements concerning Allah, the Prophet and the concept of pirhood. They also accused him of making disputed remarks about prayer, fasting, paradise, hell and the Day of Judgement.
The petitioners claimed that such statements could confuse members of the Muslim community. They called for the proposed urs, reportedly scheduled from 25 to 27 August according to the memorandum, to be stopped and also demanded the withdrawal of cases filed over an earlier confrontation involving people associated with ‘Tawhidi Janata’.
They said administrative intervention was necessary to prevent any untoward incident.
Jaber Al Jahangir, however, rejected the allegations. He said his family home had been attacked on 30 September 2024, during which family members and others were injured and property and vehicles were damaged and looted. He said that after several local people had filed cases over the incident, his side also lodged a counter-case.
He described the allegations regarding his religious views as false and said he did not want to engage in a religious dispute with anyone. If there were objections to his statements, he said, he was willing to discuss them in the presence of the administration, using the Quran and Hadith as the basis for the discussion.
According to Jaber, an urs has been held at his home on a private basis for around 19 years in remembrance of his late father. This year, preparations have again been made within the boundary of the family residence. He said there would be no external tent or loudspeaker.
He also expressed concern that his home could come under attack during the ceremony. He said he had filed a general diary with the police and informed different levels of the administration.
Political and religious groups explain their position
Maulana Yusuf Sadiq Haqqani said the campaign was not motivated by personal hostility towards Jaber. He alleged, however, that Jaber was misinterpreting Islamic teachings and creating confusion through statements that, in their view, conflicted with the Quran and Hadith.
Hefazat-e-Islam leader Maulana Ali Azam said local worshippers and religious scholars had previously raised concerns with their organisation about incidents surrounding the urs. He alleged that remarks contrary to Islamic beliefs had sometimes been made during such gatherings.
Jamaat activist Aminul Islam Amin said local religious scholars and residents were monitoring the matter and alleged that Jaber had made objectionable remarks about Islam on social media platforms.
Maulana Ali Ashraf Tayeb of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam said stopping the urs itself was not their objective. Rather, he said, they wanted what they described as Jaber’s un-Islamic activities to cease.
BNP leader Saidul Ibne Hasib Sohel said maintaining peace and public order was their principal concern. He acknowledged that opposing positions had emerged over whether the ceremony should go ahead and said the authorities had been informed about the growing tension.
Youth Dal leader Mohammad Manju Molla similarly said they were not seeking to stop the urs as such, but wanted what they described as anti-Islamic remarks to end. He said they were supporting the demands of ‘Tawhidi Janata’ in the interest of maintaining peace.
Administration monitoring the situation
Savar Upazila Nirbahi Officer Mohammad Saiful Islam said those who submitted the complaint had been advised to remain calm. He said the administration would discuss the matter with the police before taking a decision.
Savar Model Police Station officer-in-charge Mohammad Saiful Alam said the issue would be discussed and that senior officials had been informed. Police, he said, were remaining alert to prevent any situation that could lead to disorder.
The authorities are therefore facing the challenge of balancing competing claims while preventing a repeat of earlier violence. The dispute is particularly sensitive because the same residence and shrine-linked property were the scene of a serious attack in September 2024.
Earlier attack on Jaber’s residence
On 29 September 2024, an attack took place in the Chakulia area at the shrine of Shah Sufi Syed Maulana Kazi Afsar Uddin Al Jahangir Al Sureshwari and at the residence of his son, Sufi practitioner Kazi Jaber.
According to a case filed at Savar Model Police Station on 4 October by Jaber’s brother Kazi Golam Rasul, around 500 people claiming to represent ‘Tawhidi Janata’ attacked the property at about 10.30pm on 29 September. The case statement alleged that the attackers were carrying locally made weapons, including sticks, machetes, axes and iron pipes.
The attackers allegedly threw bricks and stones at the residence, damaging furniture, window panes and other property. Two motorcycles were reportedly set on fire, while goods worth around Tk20 lakh were alleged to have been looted. The case also alleged that the attackers attempted to damage the shrine located at the property.
Army personnel and police from Savar Model Police Station arrived at about midnight and brought the situation under control, according to the case statement. Between 20 and 25 people were reportedly injured during the incident.
With the earlier violence still forming part of the background to the present dispute, the latest demand to stop the urs has again placed the Savar authorities under pressure to prevent confrontation. For now, both sides have presented sharply different accounts, while the administration and police have said they are monitoring the situation and considering measures to maintain public order.
