Mamunul warns of ‘conspiracy’ to return old politics

Staff Reporter :

Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis Ameer Mamunul Haque on Tuesday night alleged that several political parties were conspiring to push Bangladesh back onto its old path of corruption and repression, despite the sacrifices made by young people during last year’s July mass uprising.He made the remarks while addressing an election rally in support of party-nominated candidate Nur-e-Alam Hamidi at the Sreemangal Railway Field around 10:30pm.

Mamunul Haque said that although Bangladesh achieved independence through the 1971 Liberation War, widespread looting and corruption after independence meant that people’s fortunes did not truly change. “For that reason, in the July mass uprising, young people sacrificed their lives to try to take the country in a new direction,” he said.

“But already some political parties are engaged in conspiracies to take the country back to the old ways.”
Calling for a transformation of political culture, he said those who genuinely wanted to work for people’s rights, public service and national development must come down to the ranks of the people and practise the politics of logic, belief and accountability, both on the streets and in parliament.

“The era of terrorism, intimidation and ballot snatching through muscle power must be abandoned,” he said. “That time will not return to Bangladesh.”

The Khelafat Majlis leader further alleged that past ruling circles had at times turned Bangladesh into a global symbol of corruption and at other times attempted to entrench their power by effectively leasing out the country, including its natural resources, to foreign forces.

“In this way, they sold off the dignity of the people of this country,” he said.

Mamunul Haque also used sharp language to describe what he called the political decline of forces that had relied on violence and muscle power, claiming their “downfall has already begun”.

“They are now writhing like a person in their final moments,” he said. “The politics of plunder and the game of trampling on people’s rights will no longer be allowed.”

Urging voters to cast a “Yes” vote in the referendum, Mamunul Haque said the July 2024 uprising had been aimed at freeing the country from decades of exploitation, inequality and domination by powerful interests.

“The daring sons of Bengal stood in the field with their chests bare. Abu Saeeds faced bullets,” he said. “The July Charter is the fruit of that blood. If the ‘Yes’ vote wins, the mass uprising will be victorious and the July Charter will be implemented.”

He added that those campaigning for a “No” vote would be seen by the public as standing against Bangladesh and in favour of what he described as fascism.

The rally was presided over by Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis Moulvibazar district president Mufti Habibur Rahman Qasemi. Among others who spoke were Baruna Madrasa’s principal Sayedur Rahman, party naib-e-ameer Maulana Rezaul Karim, joint secretary general Maulana Tafazzul Haque, Moulvibazar-3 constituency alliance candidate Ahmad Bilal, Moulvibazar-4 candidate Nur-e-Alam, Sreemangal upazila president Maulana Ayet Ali, Jamia Sheikhbari executive principal Sheikh Afzal Hamidi and Rashid Ahmed Hamidi, chief agent of the rickshaw-symbol candidate.