Ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Dr. Shafiqur Rahman warned that the word “administrative coup” must not even be heard in the upcoming election. “We do not want to see any election engineering. We will no longer allow fascist-era type elections to take place in Bangladesh again. He added, “We believe we will receive Allah’s help because we are on the path of justice and standing for the people’s rights. As long as any trace of fascism remains, our fight will continue, In Sha Allah.”
He addressed a gathering of distinguished citizens organized by Feni District Jamaat-e-Islami, presided over by district Ameer Mufti Maulana Abdul Hannan, on the afternoon of Saturday, July 5. Among others, Nayeb-e-Ameer and former MP Dr. Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher, Assistant Secretary General Maulana ATM Masum spoke on the occasion.
Dr. Shafiqur Rahman said, “Our children fought for their rights, and those rights have not yet been realized. Their first demand was a fair election. To ensure that, certain urgent and fundamental reforms must take place. No political party should obstruct this reform process.”
He called for cooperation with the Reform Commission and urged the nation to unite on this foundational issue. He warned that holding another election without necessary reforms would amount to a massacre. “We will not betray the sacrifices of our sons. Their blood was not shed in vain—we are always ready to fulfill their hopes.”
He continued, “In the past 15 and a half years, a reign of terror has been unleashed upon us. The ruling party said development was more important than democracy, essentially denying democracy itself. That’s why they orchestrated three consecutive sham elections. He accused the previous government of laundering 2.6 trillion BDT abroad—equivalent to five national budgets—and wasting public money with extreme corruption. He further said that Jamaat’s top leaders were cold-bloodedly murdered under the guise of justice. He accused the judiciary of being manipulated, with verdicts allegedly written in Brussels and read in Dhaka.
Despite all this, he claimed that after the change on August 5, they did not act out of vengeance. Instead, Jamaat volunteers protected religious institutions, public property, and even police stations in the absence of an active administration. He said, “We told our volunteers to stand guard in rain or storm with sticks in hand, and they did so.”
]He stressed that the root of all problems lies in the absence of fear of Allah. “If people feared Allah, others’ rights would be safe in their hands. We don’t seek power; we want to build a just society where all people—regardless of party, race, or religion—are safe.”
Citing Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), he said that such a society is only possible under Quranic governance. “The Prophet once said that a woman could travel from Sana’a to Hazramaut without fear—only under the fear of Allah. That’s the society he gave, and that’s the kind we must build in Bangladesh.”
He concluded that the world is a classroom and the Qur’an-Hadith are its syllabus, with Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) as the teacher. “As long as people followed the Qur’an, Allah honored them. When they abandoned it, they became disgraced.”
Finally, he said, “We are not poor; we’ve been kept poor. We have wealth in our land, water, and skies. Yet we lack global respect because we lack moral integrity.”
Earlier, on Saturday afternoon (July 5), Dr. Shafiqur Rahman, the Ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami attended as the chief guest at the Members Conference organized by Feni District Jamaat-e-Islami. The event was held at the King of Feni Community Center, with Mufti Abdul Hannan, the district Ameer, in the chair. Among the special guests were Central Nayeb-e-Ameer and former MP Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher, Assistant Secretary Maulana Abu Taher Mohammad Masum, and Muhammad Shahjahan.
Dr. Shafiqur Rahman said: “The Awami government did not even allow Jamaat members to perform prayers in peace. By the mercy of Almighty Allah, we have been freed from that situation. Now, He is testing us through this opportunity. The path ahead is still not smooth. The greater the possibility of establishing Islam, the deeper the conspiracy will be. Tough times are coming. Islamic parties have been fragmented into pieces. In the past, Islamists have been brutally oppressed. For the establishment of Islam (Deen), we must stand by each other—not rely on others as companions.
He further said: “Government officials, employees, and the general public are being threatened and intimidated. We must overcome this fear. We must reach out to the people to build a humane society that ensures human rights. The youth imagine, and we plan accordingly. When mistakes happen, we should not compile a list of wrongs but address them with compassion. Good deeds must be recorded and used to drive progress. Youth must be developed into morally upright individuals. To build a society free of discrimination, corruption, and injustice, we must bring the youth close to us. Jamaat has a historic responsibility to guide this nation on the right path. We are not an electoral alliance—we must unite based on faith and religious integrity. We are not beggars seeking favors from anyone.
Speaking about the election, Dr. Shafiqur Rahman stated: “If elections are held under the Proportional Representation (PR) system, the influence of black money and muscle power will be eliminated. Fascism will not be created. Some are spreading propaganda that the PR system will rehabilitate the Awami League. But we will not allow the Awami League to contest elections built upon the blood of martyrs. We must rise above party interests and prove that the interest of the nation comes first.”
