Hefazat-e-Islam leader Maulana Mamunul Haque has said he has embraced Room No 501 of Narayanganj’s Royal Resort as a “symbol of victory,” five years after the incident that sparked nationwide controversy.
In a lengthy Facebook post on Saturday, following parliamentary discussions on the matter, the Hefazat leader offered a detailed explanation of the 3 April 2021, episode.
Describing the incident as a “defeated, despicable project of state mob terrorism,” Mamunul wrote, “Our clear response to those who derive perverse pleasure by saying 501 is — 501 is not ours, but rather the document of defeat of fascist Hasina and her shameless henchmen.”
“As the stigma of Hasina’s defeat, we have accepted 501 as our symbol of victory. We will now celebrate 501 and celebrate the joy of receiving Allah’s special mercy, Insha’Allah,” he said.
Mamunul claimed he married the woman secretly on the condition that she would not be given equal status to his first wife, arguing this did not violate Islamic principles. He said the woman herself voluntarily relinquished that claim.
He wrote, “Jurists have established on the basis of evidence from the Quran and Sunnah that if a wife voluntarily relinquishes a right that is obligatory upon the husband, that is acceptable.”
The Hefazat leader said the woman was the wife of his close colleague Hafez Shahidul Islam, with whom she had two children. Due to incompatibility, they mutually separated, after which the woman contacted him for assistance.
He said he proposed that he could not provide the equal rights Islam obligates for wives. When she agreed, he married her according to Sharia law. He enrolled her in a Quran education centre and later she began training at a women’s skills institution.
An audio recording of Mamunul’s conversation with his first wife had circulated, where he introduced the woman as “Shahidul bhai’s wife.” In his explanation, Mamunul said he used that identity because his wife knew her by that name.
Later, the woman filed a rape case against Mamunul, and he spent many months in jail.
Why hide the marriage?
On why he kept the marriage secret, Mamunul wrote, “We all know that in our subcontinent, multiple marriages are a complex issue. In most cases, those who have multiple marriages keep it hidden from their first family.”
He also cited the legal requirement of the first wife’s permission, adding that his first wife was a minor at marriage, so he did not register that union either.
He claimed close associates were aware of his multiple marriages. His post ended with reference to the role of police at the resort.
