Release Sifat, Shafiqur warns govt

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer and Leader of the Opposition in Parliament Dr Shafiqur Rahman has called on the government to release college student Sifat Abdullah, who was arrested after allegedly using abusive language against the prime minister, the government and related parties in a Facebook video over claims of excessive electricity bills.

Dr Shafiqur Rahman made the remarks on Saturday while addressing the inaugural rally of the 11-party alliance’s peaceful long march from Dhaka to Chattogram as the chief guest.

“Out of frustration and anger, a young man named Sifat said something, and he has been arrested as if Bangladesh is about to collapse. Party-backed thugs dragged him to a police station and humiliated him. Release him. Release him peacefully,” he said.

He warned the government that continued detention could trigger public anger, referring to historical incidents involving Nur Hossain, Yasmin and Dr Milon.

The Jamaat chief also criticised the government over what he described as widespread extortion and corruption, saying these had deprived people of their rights.

“There is no gas, no water, no electricity-yet gas bills arrive as usual, ghost electricity bills keep coming, and you cannot even speak up about water,” he said.

He stressed that the alliance was not endorsing the language allegedly used by Sifat but supported the issues he had raised.

“Not in the language Sifat used, but on the issues he protested about, 180 million people of Bangladesh will, if necessary, become Sifat and roar,” he said.

Dr Shafiqur Rahman said the alliance had six demands and would add a seventh: “We will not tolerate the existence of a single extortionist or corrupt person in Bangladesh.”

Calling on Dhaka residents to pray for the movement, he said the alliance was committed to securing the rights of the people and had launched the programme to fulfil that commitment.

“We can already see that the medicine of our movement has begun to take effect,” he added.