| Bangladesh Khilafat Andolan | |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1981 |
| Ideology | hardline Islamist |
| Politics of Bangladesh Political parties Elections |
|
Bangladesh Khilafat Andolan (Bangladesh Caliphate Movement) is a Islamist political party in Bangladesh, founded by Hafezzi Huzur after the 1981 presidential elections.[1] Hafezzi Huzur had been a presidential candidate in 1981.[1] He came third, scoring 387 215 votes (1.79%).[1] His candidacy was supported by the Islamic Republican party and Bangladesh Justice Party.
The programme of Bangladesh Khilafat Andolan includes introduction of the principles of the Qur'an and Sunnah in the construction of the state, reorientation of the judicial system towards Sharia law, islamization of the educational system, reorganisation of Zakat and waqfs, etc.. The party is staunchly opposed to U.S. occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan, and has participated in many rallies and protests on the issue. In June 2004, ahead of a visit to Bangladesh by Donald Rumsfeld the party issued a statement calling him a "perpetrator of genocide in Iraq and Afghanistan, a war criminal, enemy of mankind and Allah".[1]
The party also opposed the Ahmadiyya community, demanding that they be declared as non-Muslims.
The support of the party is largely confined to conservative sectors of ulema.
The Ameer of the party is Mawlana Shah Ahmadullah Asrafi and the general secretary is Mawlana Mohammad Jafrullah Khan. The central international affairs secretary of the party is Kazi Azizul Huq.
In the 2001 parliamentary elections the party ran 30 candidates, out of whom no-one got elected.