Ashiqur Rahman (Ashique) formar secretary of Bayt ul Mamur Mosque in Manchester, Connecticut. Photo: Bnagla Press (Collected from FB)
Staff Reporter: Ashiqur Rahman (Ashique) has resigned from the post of secretary of Bayt ul Mamur Mosque in Manchester, Connecticut, USA. He was forced to resign on June 26 after some unpleasant incidents at the mosque during the formation of a new three-year committee forced some members of the mosque committee to take legal action against innocent worshipers. He did not come to the mosque committee because he had to go to the police, lawyers and the court on the issue of the mosque. Ashique said he had resigned from the post of mosque secretary to refrain from all kinds of immoral acts, including obstructing another Muslim or member from entering the mosque.
Ashique Rahman said an informal meeting was convened on July 16, 20 at the Bayt ul Mamur Mosque in Manchester. President Nurul Islam was not present that day. However, 7/8 members of the committee were present. I submitted my resignation letter to Vice President Mohammad Rahman Tuhin. As usual in the resignation letter, everyone mentions personal reasons. I did the same but I have told the real reason or the anger of the mind in front of everyone present in the meeting that day.
Asked about the main reason for his resignation, Ashique lamented that he did not come to the mosque committee as he had to go to the police, lawyers and the court over the mosque issue. He never supports any wrongdoing. He never chooses whether it is harmful or immoral for the society. He wants to become a Muslim and refrain from all kinds of immoral acts, including preventing another Muslim or member from coming to the mosque. The mosque was built to allow people to come to the mosque, not to prevent anyone. He said it was not possible for him to be the editor of the mosque in the current situation.
He added that the worshipers will always remember the amount of work he has done for the development of the mosque. We went door-to-door begging for mosques in various cities in New York and Connecticut. The mosque is now fully built. Even if I-you are not in the committee now or if a banana tree is planted, it will work. At present, the annual income of the mosque is 30/35 thousand dollars including member subscription. About $50,000 dollars have been collected on the night of Shabe Qadr in the last month of Ramadan. There is no incident in the history of the United States where women have donated gold ornaments to mosques. He raised $50,000 and two sets of jewelry at a fundraising event last Ramadan. For nine long years, he never broke his fast with his family during the month of Ramadan. Ashique mentioned that he went to the mosque and had Iftar with everyone without showing any excuse even though he had a job.
Bayt ul Mamur Mosque in Manchester, Connecticut. Photo: Bnagla Press
Asked why the resignation of Ashiqur Rahman and the hasty appointment of another secretary had been kept secret without informing the worshipers, Ashique said it was the responsibility of the president to inform all members of the committee if anyone resigned. The decision should be taken after discussion in the committee. You have to make the same decision about hiring someone. If a suitable person is not found, his assistant will work till then. That is why one assistant is kept in each post.
It may be mentioned that during the formation of the new committee for a period of three years on Friday afternoon, June 26, there was a commotion and unpleasant incident between the members of the committee and the worshipers. In the same mosque, there have been several unpleasant incidents in which the imam of the mosque has been insulted by the treasurer.
Witnesses said a general meeting was called on the same day to form a new committee for the mosque. Ashiqur Rahman, general secretary of the mosque committee, was conducting the meeting peacefully when the meeting started after Asr. No problem was seen till Maghrib prayers. After Maghrib prayers, the meeting resumed. On behalf of the worshipers, there is a demand to change some rules of the constitution by increasing the term of the members of the good standing mosque from 3 years to 1 year. Although most of the devotees present in favor of the proposal supported them, supporters and close relatives of the committee’s treasurer Tarek Ambia and his brother Taufiful Ambia took a stand against the proposal. At the general meeting, the worshipers asked various questions on the amendment of the constitution and non-constitutional activities. Unable to answer the questions of the worshipers correctly, at the behest of Tarek Ambia, his cousins Moinul, Enam and Nazmul insulted the questioners in vulgar language. At one stage, Tarek Ambia and Moinul Islam addressed some Muslims as Devils (Satan). When other members and worshipers went to protest against their words, quarrels started between the parties. Both sides tried to attack and counter-attack. At one point a lot of commotion started.
Mosque committee members and worshipers Harun Ahmed and Sarkar Mamun said the committee’s treasurers Tarek Ambia and Taufiful Ambia and their cousins Moinul, Nazmul and Enam caused chaos in the peaceful meeting. Like the Khal Nayak of Bengali cinema, attacked the devotees twice. The worshipers became angry. Seeing that the situation was strange, Tarek and Tipu helped their Lathial (Sticks) cousins to escape from the mosque. Ashiqur Rahman, general secretary of the committee, tried unsuccessfully to stop the commotion. Later, with the help of others, the situation came under control. Although the meeting to form the committee was called off, the new committee was formed for the next 3 years by force and illegally in the absence of most of the worshipers.
When asked about the incident on Friday June 26, Ashiqur Rahman, general secretary of the mosque committee, admitted the unpleasant incident and said that he was responsible for it. Because he was officiating the meeting. People from both groups were present during the meeting. At one time a worshiper and member named Moinul Islam said that there are many devils here. Responding to this, member and worshiper Harun Ahmed said that Devils is also among you. At this time a quarrel broke out between the two sides and a heated situation arose. Both sides tried to attack and counter-attack. At one point a lot of commotion started. However, he blamed himself for failing to stop the commotion.
Meanwhile, on October 12, 2019 last year, Tarek Ambia, the current treasurer of the mosque committee, unnecessarily insulted former Pesh Imam Maulana Jobayer Ahmed. The incident was widely reported in North America, including Connecticut, and received a great response from the Muslim community, including various religious organizations. Many condemned the incident.
Imam and madrasa teacher Maulana Jobayer Ahmed was conducting classes for the students of the madrasa every week on October 12, 2019 at 10 am in front of Bayt ul Mamur Mosque. According to the rules of the madrasa, the students were supposed to come to class within the stipulated time, but the treasurer of the mosque committee, Tareq Ambia, brought his son about 15/20 minutes late. He kept knocking on the door. Imam Jobayer Ahmed could not understand the harsh words as the class was going on inside. Tareq became angry with the Imam for being late to open the door. He continued to abuse the Imam in vulgar language. When the Imam asked him to speak politely, he became more angry, at one point Tarek comparing Imam with an animal. Because of this, Imam Jobayer Ahmed felt extremely humiliated. Imam went back to his home with pain in his mind. He has not come to the mosque since that day. Later another Imam was appointed.
Taufiful Ambia Tipu, the brother of the current treasurer of the mosque committee, Tarek Ambia, also called the expatriate Bangladeshi worshipers in Manchester as ‘devils’ through a Facebook post.
BP/SM
