Acting Ameer (Chief) of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, Maqbul Ahmad, calls for immediate release of all of its detainees and cancellation of the remand at a press briefing at the party’s central office. He informed that more than three hundred leaders and activists were arrested in the last two days including three top leaders. He vehemently condemns the latest wave of arrests and tyrannical attitude of the government.
Some newspapers published reports distorting a statement made by Dhaka City Ameer Rafiqul Islam Khan in a discussion program arranged by Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir at Al-Falah Auditorium on March 17. On March 18, Rafiqul Islam Khan issued a statement strongly protesting and condemning those twisted reports and his statement was published in newspapers. Moreover, Secretary General Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed gave a detailed explanation about the issue at a press briefing on March 23 and it was also published in various newspapers. Despite these protest statements a pro-government quarter filed a false case on charges of hurting religious sentiment against Ameer (Chief) of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and former minister Maulana Motiur Rahman Nizami, Secretary General and former minister Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid, Dhaka City Ameer Rafiqul Islam Khan and Dhaka City (south) unit president of Islami Chhatra Shibir ASM Yahia. And three top leaders were arrested in connection to this false case on June 29.  
 
The detained leaders were produced before Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's court on June 30 and the court granted bail in the case of hurting religious sentiment. But they were shown arrested in other cases for sedition, murder of a student in Rajshahi, preventing police from discharging their duties etc. The leaders have been remanded for 16 days each in those cases. When the court granted bail in the case in which they were arrested, there is no point of granting remand in other cases. Actually the government brought false charges to harass them politically and it is creating the opportunity to torture them in the name of remand. The move is vindictive, undemocratic and unjust. Bangaldesh Jamaat-e-Islami strongly condemns this move and demands immediate release of its top leaders revoking the remand.
 
Jamaat-e-Islami staged peaceful demonstrations across the country to protest the unjust and illegal arrests of its leader. But it was noticed with deep sorrow that police along with ruling party cadres injured hundreds of leaders and activists attacking the processions and rallies. Many leaders and activists were detained in the last two days. Among the detainees are Khulna city Ameer and former MP Mia Golam Parwar, Kustia city Ameer and former MP ABdul Wahed, Kustia city Nayeb-e-Ameer Forhad Hossain, Jhalkathi city Ameer advocate Hafizur Rahman, Jhalkathi City Nayeb-e-Ameer principal Faridul Haque, Borguna city Ameer Maulana Abu Zafr Saleh, Norail city Ameer and freedom fighter Enamul Haque Bachchu, Rajshahi city acting secretary Siddiqur Rahman. On 30 June, 15 leaders and activists were injured including Dhaka city assistant secretary Abdul Halim as the police attacked protesters near Paltan and Kakrail area and 20 others were also detained from the area. Assault of Chhatra cadres left 12 injured in the court area and 51 were arrested from there. Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami condemns such aggressive acts carried out by the regime.
 
The government is continuing its violence and oppression against Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and Islami Chhatra Shibir. Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami is dealing with these tortures legally and through observing various peaceful programmes.
 
Demonstrations have been called across the country on July 1, 2010 and prayer day will be observed country-wide on July 2, 2010.   



Prof. Md. Tasneem Alam
Secretary, Central Publicity Department
Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami