Secretary General of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and former Member of Parliament Professor Mia Golam Parwar stated that the rule of Sheikh Hasina was marked by enforced disappearances, killings, oppression, injustice, and rampant abuse, including sexual crimes. During her tenure, opposition party members were denied the opportunity to exercise their political and democratic rights or even speak freely. Social media expression was also suppressed. He cited the tragic case of BUET student Abrar Fahad, who was beaten to death over a Facebook post opposing the undue dominance of a neighboring country. This was one among hundreds of political killings of opposition leaders carried out by Sheikh Hasina and her party’s enforcement units.
He added that for nearly seven and a half of the past 15 years, he himself suffered inhumane treatment through arbitrary detention, and was even denied permission to attend his late father’s funeral. Essentially, the country was under the control of an authoritarian regime, with the people held hostage by one party. Those who spoke out faced enforced disappearances, killings, torture, and oppression. Through the mass uprising of students and citizens on 36 July, the people reclaimed their democratic and political rights, including freedom of speech. An interim government is currently running the country and has announced national elections. While this announcement is welcomed, Jamaat-e-Islami has explicitly told the Election Commission that reforms to the state structure, justice for thousands of student killings, and proportional representation (PR) in the electoral system must precede the elections. Otherwise, the public will not accept the elections.
These remarks were made by Professor Mia Golam Parwar as the chief guest at separate voter rallies organized by Jamaat-e-Islami in Wards 1 and 2 of Damodar Union, Fultala Upazila under Khulna District, on Friday (15 August). The rally in Ward 2 was presided over by Ward President Master Rafiqul Islam at 5 PM, and the rally of ward one was presided over by President Md. Mukit Sheikh in the evening. Special guests included District Secretary Munshi Mizanur Rahman, Assistant Secretary Munshi Moinul Islam, Professor Mia Golam Quddus, Principal Gausul Azam Hadi, District Working Committee member Master Sheikh Sirajul Islam, and Advocate Abu Yusuf Mollah.
Other speakers, in these events included Upazila Ameer Professor Abdul Alim Mollah, Nayeb-e-Ameer Maulana Obaidullah, Secretary Maulana Saiful Hasan Khan, Thana Working Committee member Dr. Azizul Haq, Youth Wing President Sheikh Md. Alauddin, Professional Wing President Md. Nazrul Islam Jamaddar, Jamaat leaders Faizul Kabir Lithu, Mohammad Wahiduzzaman, Maulana Zubair Hossain Fahad, Jahangir Hossain, Chhatra Shibir President Abdur Rahim Khan, Secretary Mojahidul Islam, Md. Aslam Sardar, Headmaster Golam Mostofa, Ashraful Alam, Maulana Ali Akbar Farazi, Maulana Imdadul Haq, and Union Parishad members Md. Shamim Sardar and Md. Alamgir Mollah.
Calling the student-citizen uprising a “Second Independence,” the Secretary General explained that while the first independence was achieved through the 1971 Liberation War, people previously lacked opportunities to exercise their voice, democratic rights, or voting rights. Through the July–August student uprising, the public regained freedom of expression, political rights, and democratic rights, which is why it is called the second independence. He emphasized the importance of preserving the freedom won at the cost of the lives of 2,000 students and permanent disability of thousands more, stating that it is harder to protect freedom than to achieve it. For this, the state structure that allowed authoritarianism must be fundamentally reformed.
Mia Golam Porwar further said that although fascism was overthrown through the 5 August student uprising, conspiracies continue. He cited the Milestone School plane crash, during which government forces allegedly tried to create instability under the guise of student protests. Earlier incidents such as judicial coups, fires at government offices, and the Ansar crackdown were similarly efforts to destabilize, which the student-citizens and law enforcement resisted. He stressed that to prevent a return to fascism or authoritarian rule; minimal state reforms must precede elections.
Earlier, at 6:30 AM, he met teachers and students at Sholua Madinatul Ulum Qawmi Madrasa for a discussion. Presided over by Madrasa Mutawalli Maulana Mufti Habibur Rahman, the event featured speeches by Mahbubur Rahman, Mufti Mofizur Rahman, Maulana Mamunur Rashid, Maulana Abul Hasan, Maulana Kabirul Islam, Maulana Faisal Ahmad, and Maulana Nazrul Islam. He highlighted the sacrifices of Qawmi scholars in religious and social movements, noting that Sheikh Hasina’s police persecuted both Aliya and Qawmi scholars indiscriminately. The 5 May gathering of Qawmi students at Shapla Chattar faced brutal police repression, he recalled. He called for unity among all scholars and Islamic parties for the establishment of Islam in Bangladesh.
At 8 AM and 10 AM, he addressed two separate rallies of Hindu citizens in Rangpur Union, Dumuria Upazila, and Ruprampur-Gazendrapur Government Primary School premises, stressing communal harmony and denouncing false propaganda aimed at undermining Hindu-Muslim relations. He assured that Jamaat has never harmed Hindu communities and will continue to protect all citizens’ rights.
