On Jan. 11, a riot broke out during a general meeting at the Assafa Mosque, when the Mashjid’s (mosque’s) committee proposed that devotees from all five boroughs be included as members of the committee. Former committee President Iqbal Ahmed Mahbub and other devotees objected, stating that their inclusion would create divisions in the committee and draw political concerns from other boroughs into the mosque, which is located in Manhattan.

The meeting, chaired by Aftab Uddin Ahmed and attended by the committee’s President Aftab Uddin and General Secretary Hafij Moniruzzaman, turned sour when a proposal was made to change the mosque’s constitution to allow for new members. The discussion grew heated and the attendees resorted to fistfights and scuffles, prompting members of the mosque to call in the police. When the police arrived, they urged the members to be quiet.

The president and general secretary of the committee adjourned the meeting by stating they lacked the time to finish their discussion. They left the mosque with their supporters while pandemonium broke out all around them. The devotees who remained until things quieted down decided to dissolve the acting committee and form a new one, headed by HajI Akhlaque Miah.

In a subsequent press release issued by Aftab Uddin and Hafij Moniruzzaman, they stated that the meeting was called to discuss amending the constitution, but the meeting was postponed due to a lack of time. However, some locals who normally pray at the Assafa Mosque said that the agenda included not only discussion of the constitution, but the dissolution of the old committee and the formation of a convening committee, which would take responsibility for holding elections. They called for the meeting to continue.

The meeting adjourned for prayer and resumed at night, when members demanded to complete the proposed agenda. Golam Kibria, director of the committee, presented a new constitution, which was approved.

Uddin and Hafij Moniruzzaman’s supporters have declared that the passage of the constitution is not legal and that things will be brought to order at a later meeting. There is lingering discontent and controversy among the devotees.