On February 19, 2013, Shah Ahmad Shafi, leader of Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh, published an open letter to the public and the government on the front page of Amar Desh.
He accused the Ahmadiyya community and an anti-Islamic online group of involvement, naming individuals such as Shahriar Kabir, Muntassir Mamoon, Zafar Iqbal, Gholam Rabbani, and Ajoy Roy as responsible.
[5] Shah Ahmad Shafi, in his keynote address, stated, "While we do not oppose the trial of war crimes, the religious community will not remain passive in the face of any conspiracy targeting the ulama, madrasas, Islamic attire, and values.
He tasked Muinuddin Ruhi, Munir Ahmad, and Azizul Haque Islamabadi with drafting the letter,[5] which was published on the front page of Amar Desh on February 19, 2013.
These charges include:[10] It highlights the involvement of the Ahmadiyya community (referred to as Qadianis) in these protests and points to certain blogs, such as Mukto-Mona and SomeWhereIn, for publishing alleged anti-Islamic content by bloggers like Rajib Haider and Asif Mohiuddin, with specific examples cited alongside screenshots.
[11] The letter also names several activists, including Shahriar Kabir, Muntassir Mamoon, Zafar Iqbal, Gholam Rabbani, and Ajoy Roy, as well as atheist and leftist groups, as being behind the protests.
[12] In a final appeal, Shah Ahmad Shafi calls on the public to unite with Hefazat-e-Islam in building a mass movement across the country to counter the influence of atheists, apostates, and anti-Islamic forces.
[13] In response to Shafi's open letter, Imran H. Sarkar, convener of the Shahbag protests, stated that the movement focused solely on prosecuting those accused of crimes against humanity, banning Jamaat-Shibir politics, and boycotting their financial institutions, dismissing claims of any religious agenda.
[14] Meanwhile, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) condemned anti-Islamic comments made by some bloggers, accusing the government of enabling such rhetoric,[15] while Jamaat-e-Islami expressed full support for Hefazat-e-Islam.
[20] Several organizations, including Haqqani Ulama Mashayekh Parishad, Jatiya Ganotantrik Party, and 2,000 scholars from Khulna and Chittagong, voiced support for Shafi's letter.
[31][32] Jatiya Party President Hussain Muhammad Ershad condemned any actions disrespecting Islam,[33] and cases were filed against 31,500 people in Khulna, Gaibandha, Bogra, and Rajshahi in connection with the unrest.
[37] The government opened communications with Islamic groups, assuring them that religion-based politics would not be banned, promising action against blasphemy, and pledging to address the issue of excessive use of force by law enforcement.