Acting Ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and former lawmaker Professor Mujibur Rahman has issued the following statement on 10th March, 2018 protesting and condemning the ongoing torture and repression of the government against BNP Chairperson and other leaders and activists of 20 party alliances.
“The government has launched a black chapter in the history of Bangladeshi politics by creating obstruction to the peaceful programs of Jamaat, BNP and 20 party alliances and also by detaining the opposition activists from those programs without any charges. The consequence of such oppression will never be positive for the government.
To hold peaceful procession, programs and rallies are the constitutionally recognized democratic and basic rights of the peoples. But the government is acting like a fascist regime as they are depriving 20 party alliances from those rights. BNP has been trying to hold programs peacefully since the arrest of BNP Chairperson and 20 party alliances leader Begum Khaleda Zia. But the government is not allowing BNP to hold those programs at all. Without any provocation, the authority is detaining thousands of leaders and activists from those peaceful programs. On last 8th March, police has arrested a BNP leader, making him almost naked. Prior to this incident, police had also arrested many opposition activists at gun point. Besides, during the grand rally of the ruling Awami League on 7th March, women and female students were molested from 4 ruling party processions. These incidents were published in national dailies on the following day, which are really shameful and matter of great concern for the nation.
The ruling party men including the Prime Minister are abusing the government’s power and money to conduct their electoral campaigns. On the contrary, the authority is not permitting the opposition to hold rallies. Today on 10th March, police foiled another meeting of BNP in Khulna. The authority is not allowing Jamaat-BNP and 20 party alliances to hold programs anywhere across the country, including the capital and thus they are making a rehearsal to make another one party election. Such a conspiracy of the government will put the nation towards a deep political and constitutional crisis once again.
No government in the past could stay in office by carrying out repression and torture against the countrymen. The incumbent government will not able to stay in the power as well. Nobody will be spared from the justice of Almighty Allah, neither here or on the day of resurrection. But the oppressors never pay heed to those warning of Almighty Allah.
Under the circumstances, I am urging the concerned authorities to stop the conspiracy of launching fascism and to release all the detained leaders and activists of 20 party alliances including BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia and Jamaat Ameer Maqbul Ahmad. I am also calling upon the authority to create a congenial atmosphere to hold a free, fair, credible and participatory election immediately.”
