Jamaat Amir Says Bangladesh Must Not Be Divided on Religious Grounds
HABIGANJ, Feb 7 — Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Shafiqur Rahman on Saturday said Bangladesh would not be allowed to be divided on the basis of religion, stressing that Islam does not support extremism or harm toward people of other faiths.
Addressing a public rally at the Government High School ground in Habiganj town, he said religious intolerance contradicts the core teachings of Islam. “No truly religious person can harm followers of another religion. The people of Bangladesh are the proof of this,” he said.
Referring to the country’s long-standing religious harmony, Shafiqur Rahman said Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and Christians have lived together peacefully in Bangladesh for generations. The rally was presided over by Habiganj district Jamaat Ameer Maulana Mukhlishur Rahman.
Criticising dynastic politics, the Jamaat chief said the party wants to break the tradition where power is passed down through family lines. “We want to establish a political culture where even the child of a day labourer can become the prime minister of Bangladesh if he or she is talented,” he said.
He also accused mainstream political parties of appearing before voters only during elections. “They come with promises and grand development claims during elections, but once the polls are over, they disappear,” he said.
Shafiqur Rahman said Bangladesh has had enough time since independence to ensure sustainable development, but poor governance and corruption have held the country back.
Comparing Bangladesh with Vietnam, which gained independence later, he said Vietnam has now emerged as a development model in the region, while Bangladesh continues to struggle with insecurity, extortion and corruption.
“The country’s people contribute to the economies of many nations through their hard work abroad, yet their own fate does not change because of dishonest leadership,” he said.
The Jamaat Ameer said his party has entered electoral politics with firm commitments. “If Jamaat comes to power, extortion will be stopped, businessmen will not lose sleep out of fear, street vendors will not be harassed, and corrupt individuals will no longer feel protected,” he added.
The rally was also addressed by Jamaat-e-Islami Assistant Secretary General Ehsanul Mahbub Zubair, Khelafat Majlish Ameer and Habiganj-2 constituency candidate Abdul Basit, the party’s Secretary General and Habiganj-4 candidate Ahmad Abdul Qadir, and 11-party alliance candidate for Habiganj-1 Sirajul Islam, among others.
