Shafiqur warns govt against ‘fascist’ path
Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer and Leader of the Opposition Shafiqur Rahman has described the 2024 mass uprising as a precursor to a larger political struggle, warning that those who took part in the movement remain watchful and ready to respond to any attempt to undermine people’s rights.
“The 2024 uprising should not be considered the final battle. It was a rehearsal for the final battle,” he said.
Shafiqur made the remarks on Sunday while addressing a seminar titled “The Prophet’s (PBUH)
Principles and Ideals for State Reform” as chief guest at the Institution of Diploma Engineers auditorium in Dhaka.
He said the people who participated in the 2024 uprising had neither disappeared nor abandoned their political vigilance.
“Not all those who rose up in 2024 have died, nor have they gone to sleep. They are watching everything with vigilant eyes. An army is formed before the main battle; it must train and rehearse,” he said.
The Jamaat chief also warned against the spread of what he described as “fascism”, arguing that it should not be associated exclusively with any particular political party.
“Fascism is not associated with any particular party. Fascism is a contagious disease. It spreads from one place to another. Whoever this virus infects becomes a fascist,” he said.
Accusing the current government of following the policies and practices of the ousted regime, Shafiqur said, “We can see that the current government is following the same path as the fascist government.”
He warned that the people of Bangladesh would not accept such a course and urged the government not to repeat what he described as the mistakes of the previous regime.
Shafiqur also outlined what he said should be the role of the opposition in a democratic system.
“If the government does well, the opposition’s responsibility is to cooperate with and support it.
But if the government commits any wrongdoing, deprives people of their rights or takes the wrong path, the opposition must resist and protest against it,” he said.
Passport and national image
The Jamaat chief also raised concerns about Bangladesh’s international image and the dignity of its citizens, saying a country’s passport was among the key indicators of its standing in the international community.
Expressing dissatisfaction with Bangladesh’s passport ranking, he said the country’s global image was also closely connected to the conduct and character of its people.
He further alleged that the country’s history had repeatedly been distorted and said successive governments had failed to completely break away from the practice.
Shafiqur urged citizens to visit the July Memorial Museum to learn about the country’s recent history.
However, he alleged that some memories relating to past persecution and political events had been removed from the museum “to please a particular country”.
His remarks came amid continuing political debate over the legacy of the July-August 2024 uprising, the preservation of its history and the role of political forces in shaping Bangladesh’s post-uprising political order.
