Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami's Nayeb-e-Ameer and former lawmaker Professor Mujibur Rahman has issued the following statement on 14th June 2024 demanding immediate release of Jamaat’s Assistant Secretary General ATM Azharul Islam and all other detained leaders and activists ahead of the upcoming Eid-ul-Adha.

“The government has kept Jamaat’s Assistant Secretary General ATM Azharul Islam behind the bar for more than 13 years. Rajshahi city Jamaat secretary Emaj Uddin Mondal and 9 other activists were arrested from the court premise on last 22nd April. Still, they are imprisoned. At present, 153 Jamaat and Chhatrashibir activists are detained in various prisons nationwide in connection with politically motivated false cases.

The families of these detained leaders and activists have been passing days amid tensions and worries. Keeping their dearest family member, this Eid will be a difficult occasion for all of them. We are urging the concerned authorities to release them before Eid so that they can celebrate this holy occasion along with their families.

Jamaat’s former Ameer Professor Ghulam Azam’s son, retired Brigadier General Abdullahil Aman Al Azmi, and Jamaat’s former central executive committee member Shaheed Mir Quasem Ali’s son and Supreme Court Lawyer Barrister Mir Ahmad Bin Quasem have been missing since August of 2016. The law enforcers detained them from their houses. But still, their families have no idea about their whereabouts. These families have been passing days amid tensions and worries for the last 8 years. We are urging the concerned authorities to bring them back before Eid so that they can celebrate this holy occasion along with their families.

Finally, I am calling upon the concerned authorities to immediately release all party leaders and activists including Jamaat’s Assistant Secretary General ATM Azharul Islam and allow them to observe the occasions of Eid-ul Adha with the families and relatives.