Two Eid Congregations Arranged Amid Rajshahi Tensions

A deep factional division has emerged among the local residents of Char Kanapara village under the Char Ashariadah Union in the Godagari Upazila of Rajshahi District. The long-standing community dispute centers around the appointed cleric of the local Eidgah, Hafez Maulana Mohammad Ullah. With the major Muslim religious festival of Eid-ul-Azha approaching, severe communal tensions have resurfaced over who will lead the primary congregational prayers, triggering widespread anxieties among the general populace regarding potential physical clashes between the rival groups.

The cleric at the heart of the dispute, Hafez Maulana Mohammad Ullah, currently balances dual professional responsibilities. Apart from serving as a registered employee of the Islamic Foundation, a statutory body under the Ministry of Religious Affairs, he operates as the headteacher of the local Mazharul Ulum Islamia Hafizia Madrasa.

Political Allegations And Historic Communal Clashes

The structural breakdown of the community split is heavily rooted in political grievances. A specific section of the local population explicitly alleges that the cleric maintained active operational ties with the Awami League political party during its previous governance. This singular accusation has served as the catalyst for the enduring factional divide.

According to local administrative records and eyewitness accounts, identical tensions severely disrupted the proceedings during the previous year’s Eid-ul-Azha festival. Following the conclusion of those prayers, the two rival factions engaged in several rounds of retaliatory pursuits and physical altercations, causing widespread panic across Char Kanapara. Although community elders and local arbiters subsequently initiated multiple mediation sessions to resolve the dispute internally, a permanent solution could not be reached.

Articulating the stance of the anti-cleric faction, local resident Piarul Islam verified that the community would be physically dividing its worship services. He noted that the followers of Mohammad Ullah would pray in one assembly, whilst his group would form a separate congregation. Islam asserted that the group refuses to pray behind the headteacher due to political and personal grievances, specifically alleging that the cleric had previously prohibited the community from holding a Ghaibana Janaza (absentee funeral prayer) for the late Islamist politician Delwar Hossain Sayeedi.

Conversely, a staunch supporter of the cleric, Professor Sanaullah, countered that the opposing faction is intentionally manipulating political narratives to systematically misdirect the public. He argued that the primary objective of the dissenting group is to illegally seize administrative control of the Mazharul Ulum Islamia Hafizia Madrasa by forcing the headteacher out. Professor Sanaullah maintained that the cleric has dedicated years to public service and that the clear majority of local worshippers wish to continue performing their prayers under his guidance.

Executive Intervention And Security Deployments

Denying all listed allegations, Hafez Maulana Mohammad Ullah stated that he is being falsely maligned as an active Awami League operative. He clarified that he has never participated in any political rallies, processions, or institutional meetings of any political organisation. He emphasized that he has maintained harmonious social relations with all community members throughout his 15-year tenure as the local Imam. He added that if the formal administration instructs him to abstain from conducting the prayers, he will comply, but warned that any unlawful public obstruction against him could precipitate major civil unrest.

To prevent any outbreak of violence, the local administration has stepped in to enforce a strict dual-session compromise. The Assistant Commissioner (Land) of Godagari Upazila, Md Shamsul Islam, confirmed that extensive discussions were held with both factions after union-level mediation failed.

Md Shamsul Islam: “In order to prevent any untoward incidents, we conducted lengthy deliberations with both parties. Since efforts to resolve the crisis at the union level were unsuccessful, we finalised a decision at the upazila headquarters to split the event into two distinct Eid congregations. The first official congregation will take place at 7:30 am, followed by the second assembly at 8:30 am.”

The Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Godagari Police Station, Md Atiqul Islam, concluded by stating that rigorous security arrangements have been established for the festival day. Extra police units will be deployed at the venue, and personnel from the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) will be actively patrolling the area to ensure peace.