Following the death of the 68-year-old incumbent Ameer Allama Junaid Babunagri, Hefazat-e-Islam has appointed his uncle and former chief advisor Maulana Muhibullah Babunagri as the acting Ameer. The decision to delegate the responsibility came at a meeting of the Shura (consultation) committee of the organisation Thursday, said Maulana Mir Edris, organisational secretary of Hefazat. Secretary General of Hefazat, Allama Nurul Islam made the announcement just before the Namaz-e-Janaza of Junaid Babunagri at 11.20 pm Thursday at Hathazari Madrasa field in Chattogram, he said. Also read: Hefazat Ameer Junaid Babunagri passes away Junaid Babunagri was buried at Hathazari Madrasa graveyard besides the grave of the organisation's first Ameer Allama Shafi. Junaid Babunagri died Thursday noon at a hospital in Chattogram after he suffered a stroke at the Madrasa. Babunagari had been suffering from different age-related complications, including kidney problems and diabetes. He took the reins of Hefazat-e-Islam in November 2020 after the death of Allama Shafi, the first Ameer and supreme leader of the organization in September 2020. Also read: Hefazat forms new committee, drops disputed leaders

Hefazat-e-Islam Ameer Junaid Babunagri died at a hospital in Chattogram on Thursday. He was 68. Maulana ANM Ahmed Ullah, former publicity secretary of Hefazat-e-Islam,  said Babunagari had suffered a stroke at Hathazari Madrasha around 11 am and later he was taken to CSCR Hospital in the port city where doctors declared him dead around 12:30 pm. Read:Ex-Hefazat chief Babunagri’s PS arrested Babunagari had been suffering from different old age complications including kidney problems and diabetes. He took the helm of Hefazat-e-Islam in November, 2020 after the death of Allama Shafi, the first ameer and supreme leader of the organization 9n September 18, 2020. “Babunagari’s condition started to deteriorate on Wednesday evening and his condition worsened further around 11:30 am today. Later, he was taken to the hospital by an ambulance,” said Maulana Junaied, a khadem of the Hefazat chief. He left behind one son, five daughters and a host of relatives and followers to mourn his death. Babunagari was born at Babunagar village of Fatikchhari upazila on October 8, 1953. Read:ACC investigating Hefazat leaders Babunagri, Mamunul for graft, fund embezzlement He had also served as the education secretary of Darul Ulum Hathazari Madrasha and held many other posts. The namaz-e-janaza of the Hefazat chief will be held at Hathazari madrasha around 7:30 pm.

Enamul Hasan Faruki, the personal secretary to former Hefazat-e-Islam chief Junaid Babunagri, was arrested by Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) on Friday. Chattogram RAB-7 Commander Lieutenant Colonel Mashiur Rahman said Faruki was arrested from Fatehabad of Chattogram’s Hathazari at night. He was arrested over the violence in Hathazari. Faruki was handed over to Hathazari police, the RAB officer added. Hathazari Police said Faruki used to send all statements and press releases of Hefazat-e-Islam on behalf of Babungari. Faruki is accused in the murder case of former Hefazat chief Shah Ahmad Shafi. Another case accuses him of vandalism and arson at Hathazari Police Station building and the upazila land office.

Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) on Monday submitted an investigation report against Hefazat-e-Islam Ameer Junaid Babunagari and 42 others in a case filed over the alleged murder of the group’s former chief Shah Ahmad Shafi.PBI Chattogram Police Superintendent Nazmul Hossain said the report was submitted to the Chattogram Judicial Magistrate Court in the afternoon. Also read: Case filed over Hefazat chief Shafi’s death, Mamunul among 36 sued Also read: Ahmad Shafi’s death: PBI investigators visit Hathazari MadrasaShafi, the rector of Hathazari Madrasa and chief of Hefazat, breathed his last at a hospital in the capital on September 18 last year at the age of 104.On December 17, a case was filed against 36 people including Hefazat Joint Secretary General Mamunul Haque over the death of Shafi.Md Mainuddin, the brother-in-law of Shafi, filed the case with Chattogram Judicial Magistrate Court-3, calling his death “a planned murder”.The court ordered PBI to file an investigation report within a month.

Hefazat-e-Islam’s chief Junaid Babunagri has said that the recitation of the holy Quran and prayers during Ramadan will stop the spread of the coronavirus. He said they will not allow the government to shut down madrasas in the pretext of lockdown and called for allowing people to pray at mosques during the month of fasting. “We won’t allow shutting down of madrasas in the pretext of lockdown to curb coronavirus and stopping prayers at mosques. Taraweeh, Jum’a prayers and ‘Etekaf’ will continue,” he said after an emergency meeting of Hefazat at Hathazari on Sunday. Also read: Worsening Covid crisis: Bangladesh resorting to full lockdown He said the National Ulama Mashayekh Council would take place on May 29 at Hathazari. “Coronavirus won’t have any effect because of recitation of the Quran, [discussion on] Hadith and prayers at religious gatherings,” the Hefazat chief said. Also read: Covid-19: Bangladesh records highest single-day deaths “No madrasa student or religious scholar has been infected with coronavirus. The virus won’t infect because of religious gatherings and prayers during Iftaar,” he added. When asked about Mamunul Haq’s resort incident, Babunagri said it was a “personal affair”.