Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami’s Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman said, “If the heroes are not respected, then no more heroes will be born in the wombs of mothers in this country.”

Speaking as the chief guest at a discussion meeting organized by Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, Dhaka City South, on the occasion of the Great Victory Day on Monday (15 December) afternoon at the National Press Club auditorium, he paid deep tribute to all the valiant freedom fighters who participated in the Liberation War of 1971 and said that the heroic freedom fighters saved us from the oppression of foreign rulers. The July fighters who participated in the Revolution of Twenty-Four saved the nation from fascism.

Referring to the importance of the events of 2024, he said that without 2024, those of us who are now preparing for elections would not even have had the courage to utter the word “election.” He added that the Chief Election Commissioner would not have obtained his chair, no interim government would have assumed power; rather, many advisers would have been in jail or in the so-called “Ayna Ghar.” Therefore, he said, from 1947 to the present day, all those who have given their lives and blood for the interests of the country are remembered and honored equally.

The Jamaat Ameer said that before the July Revolution, the nation suffered fifteen long years of fascist oppression. Under fascist repression, many comrades were lost. He said that while collecting information on the martyrs of the July Movement, the number identified is far lower than the actual number. He expressed deep concern over the incident of gunfire aimed at killing July hero Osman Hadi in post-revolution Bangladesh. He said that anyone with even a minimum sense of humanity has been pained by this incident. However, by terming it an isolated incident, the Chief Election Commissioner has hurt the nation. Calling upon the CEC to explain his statement before the nation, the Jamaat Ameer said that otherwise the nation would be compelled to take further steps.

Reiterating that there would be no division and that a new Bangladesh would be built on the basis of unity, the Jamaat Ameer said that a friendly political organization had stated that if elected, they would form a government including everyone, but would exclude certain parties. “But we give them good news,” he said, “if Jamaat-e-Islami is elected, we will form a government including you and all anti-fascist forces.” However, he added, a commitment must be made before the nation that “no one will engage in corruption after going into government, no one will obstruct the establishment of justice, and reform proposals for building a new Bangladesh will be implemented.”

He said that the Bangladesh of tomorrow would be one capable of competing with the civilized nations of the world; it would be a Bangladesh where the honor of mothers and sisters would be protected. “We do not want to hear the cries of any more mothers or sisters. We will not live by begging from others. The youth will be able to say with pride that we are a self-reliant Bangladesh. The Bangladesh of tomorrow will be a Bangladesh of youth.” That is why, he said, the youth and revolutionaries are being targeted today. But removing one or two individuals will not suppress the youth. “If you do not reform yourselves, the nation will settle the accounts,” he warned.

He said that they do not want to remain stuck in the past, nor do they want anyone from outside to come and act as overlords over the nation. They want to build the country while maintaining friendly relations with all. “We want a new Bangladesh built on unity, not division.” He said the nation has experienced various forms of rule over the past 54 years and is now yearning for a new system of governance and a new Bangladesh. The nation wants to trample the old system underfoot and build a new Bangladesh under a new system. Jamaat-e-Islami, he said, would make no compromise with anyone in building the new Bangladesh. Noting that many have compromised with fascism in various ways, he said, “Jamaat-e-Islami has no history of compromise.” He added that proposals and pressure for compromise had come to them as well, yet they never bowed their heads. Their leaders embraced the gallows, but never surrendered to any evil force or injustice, and they will never bow to injustice in the future either.

Addressing the journalists present, Jamaat Ameer said that journalists are the fourth pillar of the state and are responsible for overseeing the other three pillars. From their side, he promised that Jamaat-e-Islami would cooperate with the journalist community in every just cause, even if it is against them. However, he stressed that in news reporting, white must be called white and black must be called black.

Speaking as a special guest, Assistant Secretary General of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Maulana ATM Masum said that it is because of the heroic freedom fighters who sacrificed their lives in the Great Liberation War that the nation can stand tall today as an independent state before the world. However, the spirit of the freedom fighters has not been realized in the past 54 years. Rather, whoever came to power after independence treated the state as their ancestral property and claimed the Liberation War as their party’s exclusive achievement. He further said that under the guise of democracy, fascist Hasina carried out such genocides in this country that surpassed all genocides in the world. Because the nation united against Hasina’s misrule, the fascist Awami League fell. But due to cracks in that unity after the fall of the Awami League, the ousted fascist forces are now plotting covert attacks and terrorist activities. On this Victory Day, he called upon everyone to take an oath of unity to thwart all conspiracies of the Awami League and to build a new Bangladesh.

Speaking as another special guest, Assistant Secretary General of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Maulana Rafiqul Islam Khan said that the spirit in which independence was achieved has not been implemented even after 54 years. Rather, the discrimination created by the British and Pakistanis still exists in Bangladesh today. Since independence, none of those who came to state power have been able to change the fate of the nation; instead, the rulers have only improved their own fortunes. Although sovereignty was achieved, the people did not gain freedom, which is why struggles to establish rights have repeatedly occurred. Most recently, the fascist government fell through the July Movement of Twenty-Four.

The meeting was presided over by Central Executive Council Member and Ameer of Dhaka City South Md. Nurul Islam Bulbul and hosted by Office Secretary of Dhaka City South Kamrul Ahsan Hasan. Others who spoke included Central Working Committee Member Advocate Jasim Uddin Sarker, Central Majlish-e-Shura Member and Nayeb-e-Ameer of Dhaka City South Abdus Sabur Fakir, Central Working Committee Member Advocate Dr. Helal Uddin, Central Vice-President of Bangladesh Sramik Kalyan Federation Kabir Ahmed, and Dhaka South City Working Committee Members Professor Mokarram Hossain Khan, Advocate S. M. Kamal Uddin, and Syed Zainul Abedin, among others.

In his presidential address, Nurul Islam Bulbul said that through nine months of struggle and resistance, the nation gained an independent territory on 16 December 1971. However, the true taste of independence could not be enjoyed. There was no freedom of speech, and independence was effectively leased out to a neighboring state. He said that the lost sovereign power was reclaimed on 5 August of Twenty-Four. In the days ahead, by building a happy, prosperous, discrimination-free, welfare-oriented, and humane Bangladesh, the true fruits of independence will be delivered to every household. He called upon the people to vote “Yes” in the referendum in favor of the July National Charter to build a new Bangladesh free from terrorism, extortion, and corruption.