Sylhet Metropolitan Police (SMP) on Tuesday asked Anjumane Hefazat-e-Islam, a Qawmi madrasah-based organisation, to postpone their ijtema — slated for November 17-18 - to avoid any conflict with the main opposition BNP’s Sylhet division rally, scheduled for November 19.

Sudip Das, additional deputy commissioner of the SMP, confirmed the matter to UNB on Tuesday night.

He said they asked the ijtema organisers to fix any date after November 19 as the BNP had announced their divisional mass rally earlier.

Anjuman Hefazat-e-Islam called for a two-day Ijtema marking their 77th anniversary on November 17 and 18 in the city.

Despite the police warning though, it has been learned that the little-known Islamist group is determined not to postpone their programme to be held in Paraichak of South Surma upazila.

The organisation’s leaders including its Ameer Mufti Mawlana Muhammad Rashidur Faruk Barnobhi expressed their rigid stance of holding the prescheduled programme at the Truck Terminal of the upazila.

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Md Shamsuddhoa, officer-in-charge of Moghlabazar police station, said they would take a decision in this regard after holding a meeting with high-ups officials.