Hefazat Ameer Junaid Babunagari passes away

 
Junaid Babunagar, Ammer of radical Islamist group Hefazat-e-Islam, passed away at a hospital in Chattogram on Thursday. He was 67.

Babunagari breathed his last at around 12:45 pm Thursday at the CSCR hospital in Chattogram, said Mir Idris Nadvi, a Hefazat central organizing secretary.

Babunagari, who had been suffering from different physical ailments for long, was taken to the hospital Thursday morning from Hathazari Madrasa after he fell ill on Wednesday night. Babunagari's namaz-e-janaza was scheduled to held on the premises of Hathazari Madrasa at 11pm on Thursday and be buried in his family graveyard at Babunagar village under Fatikchhari upazila. Monir Ahmed, executive editor of Monthly Moyeenul Islam, the mouthpiece of the madrasa, confirmed the matter. Babunagari was revered as an Islamic scholar among his followers, but controversy and questionable leadership in his
own organization dogged the final years of his life.

Babunagari, the head of Hifazat's headquarters -- Al-Jamiatul Ahlia Darul Uloom Moinul Islam Madrasa -- was about 70 years of age. He suffered from cardiac problems and other health issues.

On September 18, 2020, Babunagari came to lead the organization after a varied series of events following the death of long-term Hefazat chief Shah Ahmad Shafi.On social media, Babunagari's followers said that Babunagari took Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccine few days back. He fell ill after taking the jab, one follower wrote on Facebook.

--- Bashir Al Mamun, AA