A storm of discussion and criticism has blown up on social media over a programme held by the local BNP member of parliament, Md Aynul Haque, inside a mosque in Raiganj upazila, Sirajganj, with chairs, tables and sofas placed in it.
BNP leaders who were present at the event say, however, that the meeting was organised by the mosque and madrasa authorities.
The meeting was held on Saturday (September 19) morning at the Kodla Kawmia Madrasa Jame Mosque in Chandaikona union of Raiganj upazila in the district.
Md Aynul Haque, member of parliament for the Sirajganj-3 (Raiganj-Tarash) constituency, could not be reached when contacted to speak about holding the programme in the mosque.
Md Shamsul Islam, a former general secretary of Raiganj upazila BNP, said: the Kodla Kawmia Madrasa and Jame Mosque authorities in VP Aynul Haque MP’s own union of Chandaikona have large arrears outstanding for running the institution. They invited him and us to their institution to seek the MP’s help in paying these. When we went to the madrasa we saw that they had set out sofas and chairs inside the madrasa mosque to seat the guests.
He added: since this was not a political programme, we did not object and took part in the event held in the mosque under their arrangements for the development of the madrasa and the mosque. What took place here was essentially the development of the mosque and madrasa and religious discussion.
VP Aynul Haque is currently information and research secretary of Sirajganj district BNP. He is a former upazila chairman of Raiganj and was general secretary of Raiganj upazila BNP. He was elected vice-president three times at Chandaikona Haji Wahed Mariam Honours College.