Against all speculations Sheikh Ahmed (75), a senior teacher and Hadith expert, has recently been nominated as the assistant director of Al-Jamiatul Ahlia Darul Ulum Moinul Islam, also known as Hathazari Madrasa, replacing Maulana Junaid Babunagari (70) who was elected deputy of Shah Ahmed Shafi in 2017 and keeping Hefazat-e-Islam's Amir Allama Ahmed Shafi as the rector of the Madrasa till his death, during a meeting of the Shura committee held on Wednesday with a view to reconstructing their public image.
The speculation was rife that in absence of Maulana Shafi, Babunagari would lead the madrasa and be the supreme leader of the most influential Islamic radical organization of the country Hefazat-e-Islam that began its journey in 2009 and is widely known for opposing secular educational policies taken by the present government led by Sheikh Hasina.
However, Babunagari has retained his position in the party and will continue to work as the general secretary and operational head of Hefazat-e-Islam, the party that arranged a huge protest, followed by unprecedented violence, in the capital Dhaka on 5 May 2014.
With such a decision it seems that the country's biggest madrasa may shift its focus from political to educational activities.
Maulana Sheikh Ahmed, hailing from Mirerkhil of HathazariUpazila, has no political involvement or connection and gained an experience of 50 years in teaching.
After being elected as the deputy of AhamdShafi and second man of the country’s top Islamic institution, he said to Bangladesh Post, “My only duty is to follow the rector and obey his order. He may be unfit physically but he is totally fit mentally, so I will just assist him.”
“Nothing will change at Hathazari madrasa as the institution is a protector of shariah laws and ideology”, he added.
However,Maulana Musa Bin Izhar, General Secretary of Bangladesh Nezam-E-Islam Party, thinks otherwise. “It was thought that Babunagari is the second man and next to Shah Ahmed Shafi. But everything has changed now as Sheikh Ahmed has no political background rather he is a senior scholar and a Hadith expert”,he told Bangladesh Post.
“After nominating Sheikh Ahmed as the deputy rector the institution (Hathazari Madrasa), I think, may not remain active in politics as it was before because Babunagariwas a politically conscious man while the new deputy rector is enthusiastic about academic activities”, he went on to say.
Maulana Ashraf Ali Nijampuri, a senior teacher of Hathazari Madrasa, said to this correspondent,“This madrasa is famous for its education and higher studies. As Sheikh Ahmed is not a political figure, the activities of the madrasa will certainly be more education-focused.”