Islami Andolan Bangladesh (Bengali: ইসলামী আন্দোলন বাংলাদেশ, lit. 'Islamic Movement of Bangladesh'), abbreviated asIAB, is a major Islamistpolitical party in Bangladesh.[3] It was founded in 1987 by Fazlul Karim as Islami Shashontantra Andolan (Islamic Constitutional Movement), and took its current name in 2008.[4]
The party maintains distance from both of the dominant parties in Bangladesh, Awami League and Bangladesh Nationalist Party and is going ahead in the vote politics silently. In the recent years, the party has gradually done well in the local government elections. The number of votes of the party has increased also in the national polls.[5]
History
Late Maulana Syed Muhammad Fazlul Karim, pir of Charmanai, established the party on 13 March 1987. Its founder late Fazlul Karim was a popular and well accepted figure all over the country. He set up organisational units in all the 64 districts. Since then, unlike other Islamist parties, IAB has been mobilizing its organisational capacity across the country.[6]
It has submitted a memorandum to the United Nations demanding an end to the violence in Rakhine state of Myanmar.[9] Prior to departing Baitul Mukarram, party leaders Mufti Syed Rezaul Karim had delivered speeches condemning the atrocities against the Rohingya in Myanmar.[9] In 2019, hundreds of activists of Islami Andolan Bangladesh gathered at the north gate of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque after Jumah prayers and demonstrated in Dhaka's Baitul Mukarram National Mosque area on Friday, protesting against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC) in India. They chanted slogan: "No CAB, no NRC, and stop torturing Muslims in India! Where is humanity?[10]
It has rejected proposals of both Awami League and Bangladesh Nationalist Party regarding the election-time government, saying the proposals are defective and cannot resolve the ongoing political crisis. It urged the government to dissolve the parliament and hand over the power to a neutral caretaker government for holding a credible election.[12] Terming the recently-held local government polls unfair, IAB Amir Sayed Rezaul Karim said, “People could have seen the genuine face of the party’s popularity had there been fair polls.” Commenting on politics of ballot, the IAB Amir said, “People want freedom from the incumbent oppressive and autocratic ruler. In their frantic search for a peaceful society, the people are not being able to find out any alternative solution. That’s why they are stretching their hands to an Islamist party like us. They are joining the islamist movement by growing day by day. People are showing more interest to IAB as they found no alternative.”[6]
Yunus Ahmad (born 16 July 1957) is serving as the secretary general of Islami Andolan Bangladesh.[14] He was born on July 16, 1957, in Maishaghuni village of Khulna district. His father Muslim Uddin and mother Sakina. His education start from JBM Primary School. He then passed secondary school from Belfulia High School. In 1973 he was admitted to Khulna City College. In 1974 he passed his HSC from Khulna Bangabandhu Degree College and moved to Jamia Rashidiya Islamia Charmonai and started memorizing Quran. After completing the memorization of Quran under the supervision of Hafez Nuruzzaman, he passed Dakhil from Anandnagar Nesaria Madrasa in 1981, Alim from Jugihati Aminya Madrasa in 1983, Fazil in 1985 and Kamil from Khulna Alia in 1987. He started practicing tasawwuf by taking bay'at from Syed Fazlul Karim. On November 17, 1998, he received the caliphate from him.[15] His career began at JBM Hafizia Madrasa. Later he taught for some time at Deyara Hafizia Madrasah. In 1996, he took charge of the Principal of Jamia Rashidiya Goalkhali Adarsh Cadet Scheme Madrasah. He was in charge till 2002. Currently he is teaching Hadith in Dhaka Kadmatli Jamia Islamia Fazlul Uloom Madrasa.[15] He joined Muhammadullah Hafezzi's repentance politics in 1981 at the suggestion of Syed Fazlul Karim. He served as the general secretary of the Bangladesh Mujahid Committee, Khulna district branch. He was associated with the Islami Andolan Bangladesh since its inception. In 2008, he was elected as the general secretary of this party.[15]
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