Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami’s Acting Ameer and former lawmaker Professor Mujibur Rahman has issued the following statement on 27th June 2023 protesting and condemning re-arrest of Jamaat’s Assistant Secretary General Maulana Rafiqul Islam Khan for third times.
Maulana Rafiqul Islam Khan was arrested on 6th September, 2021. Despite the objection of the prosecution, the appellate division subsequently upheld the bail orders in all cases filed against him. As a result, he was about to get released from Kashimpur jail on 9th March 2023. But Gazipur district police arrested him from the jail gate. But instead of filing a case in Gazipur he was again shown arrested as a suspect in an old case with Paltan police station of Dhaka. He was produced before the court on 10th March, 2023 with a plea of 7-day remand. The court granted one day remand. Later, another plea was made to show him arrested in two cases of Paltan and Rampura police stations. He also got bail in those cases. While he was about to get released, police appealed on 15th May to show him arrested in another case with Kolabagan police station. The court allowed that police plea on 21st May. But he was inside the prison during the claimed incident. Finally, he got bail in the case of the Paltan police station on 21st June. But instead of giving him release, the government sent a production warrant to the jail against him on 27th June. We are vehemently protesting and condemning the incident.
So naturally question arises, why he is not allowed to get released even after securing bail in all cases? Unfortunately, Maulana Rafiqul Islam Khan has been re-arrested or shown arrested for third times.
If the government has nominal respect toward the existing law and the constitutionally guaranteed basic rights, then they cannot harass Maulana Rafiqul Islam Khan like the way they are doing now. He has become the worst victim of government’s political conspiracy and vengeance. Maulana Rafiqul Islam Khan’s repeated case of re-arrest demonstrates that there is no human rights and rule of law in the country. The judiciary is functioning as per the design of the government.
I am urging the government to stop their vindictive activities against Maulana Rafiqul Islam Khan and to release immediately.
