Allama Shafi laid to rest

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

The namaz-e-janaza of Allama Shafi was held on the madrasah premises with participation of thousands of people and supporters of Hefazat.

His eldest son Maulana Mohammad Yusuf Madani conducted the namaz-e-janaza around 2pm. Later, he 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.

Allama 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.