[🇧🇩] Political Activities of Jamaat-E-Islami

Saif · Jan 10, 2025

Differences have emerged among those who led the revolution: Jamaat secy

He made this remark while speaking at a workers' conference held at Bhabanipur Muktijoddha College ground in Gazipur Sadar Upazila.

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Differences have emerged among those who led the revolution: Jamaat secy

Photo: Star

Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Professor Mia Golam Parwar today said that there are growing differences among those who led the uprising.

He made this remark while speaking at a workers' conference held at Bhabanipur Muktijoddha College ground in Gazipur Sadar Upazila.

"We aim to build a new Bangladesh through a free, fair, and impartial election. However, differences have arisen within our ranks. Some oppose reforms or suggest delaying them, while others demand immediate reforms. Some want elections before reforms, while others insist on reforms first. We will proceed with the necessary reforms to ensure a credible election. Those advocating for elections without reforms refer to the constitution," he said.

He also questioned, "Under what legal authority was Yunus permitted to enter the country and assume leadership? Under which constitutional framework? By what rules was the advisory council established, and under what law did Hasina take her oath of office?

"The constitution and the law reflect the aspirations of the people, serving as a written embodiment of their collective desires. For instance, when we fought for the caretaker government in the 1990s, it was not initially part of the constitution. However, it was established in response to public demand. Elections were held first, and the law followed thereafter."

He added, "Similarly, in the case of this interim government, both the government itself and its advisors can be deemed unconstitutional and illegal."

On the recent situation in the country, Mia Golam said, "While the work of nation-building is underway, a new conspiracy is also unfolding. There have been revolutions, judicial coups, and incidents of civil unrest, all aimed at destabilising the country. They want to create a scenario where Hindu brothers cannot live in peace unless Awami League is in power. However, the interim government has thwarted India's plot."

He also commented on the local law and order situation in Gazipur, saying, "Several mill owners in Gazipur have reported difficulties in operating their businesses. I call on the Gazipur Deputy Commissioner, Superintendent of Police, and Commissioner of Metropolitan Police to take immediate action against extortionists and thugs from any party trying to destabilize the economy."

He continued, "The murderous Awami League fascists are no longer visible in the field. Their 300 MPs and ministers are nowhere to be found. So, what is there to fear now? If they cannot be arrested, the people will believe that you are complicit in supporting the fascist culprits."

The conference was chaired by Jamaat's District Ameer Jahangir Alam, with Professor Mia Golam Parwar, the secretary general of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, as the chief guest. Prominent speakers included Professor Muhammad Izzat Ullah, a member of the Central Executive Council, Md Samiul Haque Farooqui, the central organising secretary, and Mohammad Khalilur Rahman Madani, a member of the Central Working Committee.

Saif · Jan 17, 2025

Struggle for fair elections far from over: Jamaat ameer

He also stressed the need for impartial governance.

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Struggle for fair elections far from over: Jamaat ameer

Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Shafiqur Rahman yesterday said that the struggle for fair elections, free from the influence of black money and muscle power, is far from over.

At a meeting held at Payra Chattar in Jhenaidah town last night, he called for strengthening efforts to protect citizens' right to vote.

He also stressed the need for impartial governance.

"If Jamaat comes to power, it will belong to the people. We will not be the owners of the country; we will serve the people," he said.

The Jamaat leader further outlined his vision for the nation's future, focusing on moral values and economic progress.

"We want to create a society with a strong moral foundation, one that can pay off the debts to our people. Alongside this, we aim to build an education system where graduates don't need to run from office to office with certificates in hand. Instead, they will have a job in one hand and a certificate in the other," he said.

The meeting was presided over by District Jamaat Ameer Ali Azam Md Abu Bakkar.

Saif · Jan 17, 2025

Won't stop until misrule-free Bangladesh is established: Jamaat Ameer

Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh will not cease its movement until a misrule-free Bangladesh is established, said the party Ameer Shafiqur Rahman on Friday. He mentioned the party's unwavering commitment to achieving an equitable and corruption-free Bangladesh during a workers' conference in Chuadanga,

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Won't stop until misrule-free Bangladesh is established: Jamaat Ameer
Published :
Jan 17, 2025 17:12
Updated :
Jan 17, 2025 17:12

Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh will not cease its movement until a misrule-free Bangladesh is established, said the party Ameer Shafiqur Rahman on Friday.

He mentioned the party's unwavering commitment to achieving an equitable and corruption-free Bangladesh during a workers' conference in Chuadanga, reports UNB.

The Jamaat ameer began by highlighting the years of oppression faced by Jamaat-e-Islami, saying that the party's leaders had been falsely accused and sentenced to death in fabricated cases, and thousands of activists had been killed under the Awami League's rule.

Awami League and its allies had looted religious institutions and carried out widespread destruction across the country, he also said.

"Until we establish a corruption-free and misrule-free Bangladesh, Jamaat-e-Islami will not stop," Shafiqur also said, asserting reinforcing the party's stance on continuing its movement for justice and fairness.

Referring to the Awami League's violent tenure, the Jamaat leader accused the AL of killing intellectuals, educators, and experienced citizens to maintain power. He also denounced the torture, abductions, and violations carried out under their governance.

He paid tribute to the student-led movement that forced the authoritarian regime to flee in August 2024. "Our children led the revolution, and their efforts secured the freedom we now have. The people have driven out those who oppressed them," he said.

"This generation has brought us new freedom, and we will defend it, even if it requires blood," he said.

Highlighting Jamaat's stance ahead of the upcoming elections, Dr. Rahman stressed that the party would not sell its votes and would fight against corruption, black money, and muscle power. He reiterated that the elections must be fair and transparent.

The conference, chaired by Chuadanga District Jamaat Amir, Advocate Ruhul Amin, also featured speeches from key party leaders, including Md. Zahidul Islam, President of Bangladesh Chhatra Shibir, and Mobarak Hossain, a member of the Jamaat-e-Islami Executive Council.

Thousands of Jamaat workers and leaders from across Chuadanga District attended the conference, marking it as a significant political event in the region. The event concluded with Advocate Ruhul Amin pledging Jamaat's continued dedication to serving humanity and working for the betterment of the nation.

Saif · Jan 25, 2025

Publish white paper on all crimes since 1971

Jamaat Ameer Shafiqur Rahman has urged the interim government to publish a white paper on the killing, looting, and siphoning off money that happened since 1971.

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Publish white paper on all crimes since 1971
Jamaat chief urges govt

Jamaat Ameer Shafiqur Rahman has urged the interim government to publish a white paper on the killing, looting, and siphoning off money that happened since 1971.

Only the interim government, which is free of political influence, can ensure the publication of such a document, he told a rally in Dinajpur yesterday.

Governments formed by political parties will not undertake such a task, he said.

"Over the last 53 years, numerous incidents occurred. The nation deserves to know the perpetrators and their victims."

Hundreds of people from different districts attended the rally organised by Jamaat.

Shafiqur said Jamaat had been the target of Awami League's attack for 15 years.

He then urged leaders and activists of his party to stay vigilant, calm, and disciplined.

He also highlighted the importance of maintaining unity and refraining from acts that jeopardise the progress made through people's sacrifice during the July uprising.

Saif · Feb 10, 2025

Not at the cost of Muktijuddho, no way

Neither Jamaat, nor its student wing has ever come clean regarding its role in 1971.

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Not at the cost of Muktijuddho, no way

ARTWORK: ZAINUL ABEDIN

The December 2024 edition of Chhatra Shibir's mouthpiece, the monthly Chhatra Sangbad (meaning student news) was themed after the mass uprising that loosely translates to "the bloody chapter of victory" (bijoy er roktakto oddhyay). One article in that magazine, discussing the downfall of tyrants through the ages (juge juge shoirachar o tader korun porinoti), states at one point, "Some Muslims participated in the Liberation War without fully comprehending the consequences. It was their failure and lack of foresight. May the Almighty forgive them."

Chhatra Shibir, which is the student wing of Jamaat-e-Islami, has expressed its regrets and withdrew the article and recalled the magazine. It is not available online or offline anymore. The fundamentalist students' organisation went on to say in a note of apology that the article had been published "inadvertently" and further that the views expressed in the article were the writer's own.

The explanation and apology might have been acceptable if it were any other organisation. But Shibir, and its parent organisation Jamaat, had violently and actively opposed the 1971 Liberation War. Shibir used to be called Islami Chhatra Sangha in 1971 and resurfaced in 1977 under this current name. Jamaat and its student wing are held responsible for a large number of atrocities committed by the notorious vigilante militia groups like Razakar, Al-Badr and Al-Shams, which consisted of members and activists of Jamaat and its student wing.

Neither Jamaat, nor its student wing has ever come clean regarding its role in 1971. Still deeply revered within the party, several Jamaat leaders have been tried, convicted and executed for their crimes against humanity. But the party and its student wing have never come forward to apologise for their role or admit to the atrocities their predecessors had committed out of their supposed conviction for a united Pakistan. Instead, both the party and its student wing continue to attempt to justify and vindicate their roles during the Liberation War. And sometimes, they test the waters to see how far they can go in public. This recent publication was one such instance.

The implicit suggestion of Shibir's response to the widespread criticism of the article is that the editorial board of the magazine had not vetted each article carefully before they were approved. This is not at all expected from an outfit as disciplined as Shibir. The insincere apology, because it does not own up to its misdeed (which is befitting its historical trend), only came about once the lines went viral on social media and Jamaat's student cadres realised they were fast losing support among the public. Almost as if they were dangling their feet to test the waters and pulled out sensing that the time was not yet ripe.

Just like in 1971, the article in question conflates religion with the inspiration for freedom. In fact, the writer is apologetic for even having waged war and begs forgiveness of the Almighty.

It is also important to take note of other omens. Take the Constitution Reform Commission's proposal for instance. It proposes the following two paragraphs in the preamble, "We, the people of Bangladesh have, in a historically persistent struggle for the emancipation of the masses of this land, achieved independence through a people's war (jonojuddho) and built a united resistance against autocratic and fascist rule;"

"We pledge, most respectfully remembering the supreme sacrifice of all martyrs, that the great ideals of equality, human dignity, and social justice that united the people of Bangladesh in the War of Independence in 1971 and the ideals of democracy and equity that united them against the fascist rule in 2024 shall be established in the state and society;"

The existing preamble had enshrined the Liberation War as a sacrosanct basis of the new republic born on March 26. The first graph reads, "We, the people of Bangladesh, having proclaimed our independence on the 26th day of March, 1971 and through a historic struggle for national liberation, established the independent, sovereign People's Republic of Bangladesh."

The proposed draft states "jonojuddho" (people's war) which is not the same as Liberation War or muktijuddho. The language recognises the mass uprising of 2024 and the war of independence of 1971 in the same breath! One was a full-blown war which gave birth to a new country. The other was a people's uprising of a kind that Bangladesh had not seen before and must be given their due credit. But certainly not by belittling the Liberation War; And yet, there has been very little criticism amid the post uprising dispensation where Jamaat and Shibir, having usurped significant sway, appear to influence much of the narrative post August 5.

The Liberation War is a unique event in Bangladesh's history. It will never happen again. Attempts to equate it with any other movements or campaigns reflect either a lack of wisdom or a deliberate effort to distort history. Unlike any political movement, the Liberation War was a struggle for existence, identity, and sovereignty. It was a full-scale war against a well-trained military machine. It was a national resistance against systematic genocide, oppression—in which Jamaat and its student collaborated with the perpetrators. Comparing it to any democratic movement insults its glory and undermines the sacrifices of millions who fought and perished for an independent Bangladesh.

Mass uprisings and popular campaigns, however significant, cannot be placed on the same pedestal as the Liberation War. Democratic struggles implicitly predicate the existence of an established nation-state. The 1971 War was about the very birth of that state. Any comparison trivialises that War and plays into the hands of those who seek to rewrite (read distort) history and change the narrative for their gain.

We have heard many more such phrases that liken 2024 with 1971 in the last several months. This new Bangladesh had to be rebuilt from scratch, everyone said. Proclamation of revolution was mentioned in the beginning. The Mujibist constitution had to be done away with and in a bid to rid it of Mujibism, the proposed draft of the constitution now trivialises the 1971 War.

The rhetoric of a new beginning in the post August 5 dispensation often carried an unspoken suggestion, a fleeting allusion that it is all "as opposed to 1971." There is almost an instinctive feeling that there is an ever so subtle attempt to not just rewrite history, but delete it. A second liberation it can very well be, but that does not make it equal to the first one, when the country was born.

Attempts to equate the Liberation War with other political movements, or belittle it, can no longer be shrugged off as adolescent aberration or dismissed as youthful ignorance.They are not.

Tanim Ahmed is digital editor at The Daily Star.

Md Abbas is a journalist at The Daily Star.