Staff Reporter :
Shafiqur Rahman, the Ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, issued a stark warning on Saturday, declaring that no national election will be accepted by the people of Bangladesh unless there is visible justice for student-public killings and structural reforms in the electoral process.
Speaking at a public rally organised by the Lalmonirhat district Jamaat on the Collectorate grounds, Rahman told a crowd of supporters that “justice for the killers” and “essential reforms” are non-negotiable preconditions for public participation in any upcoming election.
“Before any election, two things must be done,” Rahman said. “First, the killers must be brought to justice, and that justice must be visible. Second, essential reforms must be undertaken. Without these, the people of Bangladesh will not accept any election.”
His remarks come amid heightened political uncertainty ahead of the upcoming national polls, tentatively scheduled between December 2025 and June 2026, as per repeated statements by the Interim Government.
Rahman addressed the caretaker authorities directly, urging them to ensure fairness in the electoral process. “We respectfully tell the Chief Adviser-we want elections, we want fair elections.
We do not want polls influenced by rigging, black money, and muscle power. A level playing field must be ensured. We are ready to extend every kind of cooperation needed to hold a free, fair election.”
The Jamaat chief directed sharp criticism at the Awami League, accusing it of authoritarianism and corruption during its prolonged tenure in power. “No fascist regime has ever been able to suppress a revolutionary people,” he said. “They [the Awami League] could not suppress the revolutionary spirit of the people of Bangladesh.
After 15 and a half years of continuous movement, sacrifice, and struggle, they were ultimately forced to give up power-under pressure from the youth-they even fled the country.”
Invoking the themes of patriotism and accountability, Rahman contrasted the image of the common citizen with what he described as the self-serving elite. “True patriots never think of fleeing.
They do not siphon off public money, they don’t build Begumpara in Canada or Malaysia, and they don’t aim state-funded weapons at their own people. But they [the Awami League] have done all of this.”
He further accused the Awami League of turning the country into a “living prison,” marked by arbitrary lawsuits, political violence, enforced disappearances, and repression. “They tried to silence the people,” he said, “but they failed.”
Rahman also raised concerns over ongoing tensions along the India-Bangladesh border, pointing to a recent incident in Lalmonirhat. According to him, a local man, Hasinur Rahman, was allegedly killed by India’s Border Security Force (BSF) while collecting grass near the frontier.
“They placed a boot on his chest and cold-bloodedly shot him. Then they dragged his body across the border,” he said. “Was he not a human being? Is this how neighbors behave?”
Calling for a shift in India-Bangladesh relations, he urged the Indian government to foster mutual respect and uphold Bangladesh’s sovereignty. “India is our neighboring country. We want to live alongside them based on harmony, mutual respect, and equality. If we thrive, they thrive. But they must respect our legitimate rights.”
