Engage all parties on national issues, Jamaat urged
Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman has called on the government to engage in open dialogue with all stakeholders on national issues, including fuel prices.
He said the party is willing to cooperate in the national interest but alleged that the government is taking the wrong approach. He also stressed that there should be no delay in constitutional reform, adding that the matter must be resolved in parliament.
He made the remarks as chief guest at a discussion organized by Dhaka Metropolitan South Jamaat at the National Press Club auditorium on Wednesday, marking Independence and National Day.
The event, chaired by Abdus Sabur Fakir, nayeb-e-ameer of Dhaka South, featured Colonel (retd) Oli Ahmad Bir Bikram, president of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), as the main speaker. Jamaat Secretary General Mia Golam Parwar and Rafiqul Islam Khan also spoke as special guests.
Dr Shafiqur Rahman said that the true value of independence is not always fully appreciated by a nation, noting that Bangladesh attained freedom thanks to the foresight of its forebears.
He alleged that the Pakistani military suppressed the people’s mandate through violence in 1971, committing mass killings and atrocities against women.
He said that although the country’s borders changed after the Liberation War, internal reforms remain incomplete, with corruption, nepotism and inequality continuing to persist.
Referring to global examples, he noted that Japan rebuilt itself after the Second World War, while Bangladesh has yet to fully realize the benefits of independence, largely due to corruption. He also alleged that his statements are frequently misrepresented in the media to divert attention from key issues.
Criticizing how their Eid-day interactions with diplomats were portrayed, he said they had celebrated Eid in accordance with the Sunnah and would continue to do so, while acknowledging that any mistakes would be regretted.
On elections, he said the party accepted the outcome from a democratic standpoint.
He alleged that the government appointed administrators in various local government bodies in violation of the constitution, imposing defeated candidates instead of holding elections.
Addressing the government, he said opposition demands are often initially rejected but later accepted. He emphasized that Jamaat’s reform proposals are intended for the nation, not for any particular party, and warned that injustice would not be accepted.
Drawing a historical comparison, he said the Pakistani regime had denied citizens their voting rights, which triggered the Liberation War, warning that a similar situation could produce comparable consequences.
He further warned that attempts to suppress dissent through coercive means would be resisted, adding that there would be no compromise on national interests.
On national issues, including fuel prices, he reiterated the call for open dialogue, saying the party stands ready to cooperate.
He also questioned the continued emphasis on the current constitution, noting that it had been amended or set aside at different times by past leaders.
He warned that failure to implement reforms would undermine the sacrifices of figures such as Hadi, Abrar Fahad and Felani.
He added that incidents of killings have risen since the election and warned that any attempt to impose authoritarian rule would be met with collective resistance.
Speaking as a special guest, Professor Mia Golam Parwar, Jamaat Secretary General, said that the aspirations of the people had not been fulfilled despite the independence achieved through struggle between 1947 and 1971.
He added that the goals of independence remain unfulfilled, making renewed mobilization necessary, and expressed concern over the prospects of implementing the July charter.
He said the government has shifted its position on constitutional reform and is now offering various excuses. Full implementation of the July charter is essential to fulfil public aspirations, he added.
The event, moderated by Dhaka South Jamaat Secretary Dr Shafiqul Islam Masud, was attended by central executive council members Saiful Alam Khan Milon, Mobarak Hossain, Principal Abdur Rob, Major (retd) Akhtaruzzaman, Dhaka South nayeb-e-ameer Dr Helal Uddin, Dr Mobarak Hossain, MP Rashedul Islam, and Haji Enayet Ullah, among others.
