Ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Dr. Shafiqur Rahman said, "The dark clouds have not cleared from the country's sky yet. Evil forces are still plotting conspiracies. Therefore, everyone should be ready for greater sacrifices to protect the independence, sovereignty and integrity of the country and to establish good governance and justice.
He said this while addressing as the chief guest at a special gathering organized by Shommilito Peshajibi parishad (Combined Professional Council) at the Engineers Institution auditorium of the capital today. Jamaat's Central Executive Council member and Dhaka North City Ameer Muhammad Salim Uddin spoke as a special guest at the program. The program was presided by Engineer Golam Mustafa and hosted by Engineer Sirajul Islam. Among others, Prof. Dr. Abdul Hannan, Engineer Hafizur Rahman, former Judge Advocate Taha Mollah, Colonel (Retd.) Dr. Zehad Khan, Engineer Misbah Uddin Khan, Obaidur Rahman, Dr. Mufti Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Bashar, Mohammad Masud Kabir, Central Working Council Member and Dhaka North City Nayeb-e-Ameer Abdur Rahman Musa spoke on the occasion.
Dr. Shafiqur Rahman said, "In order to make the country bereft of talent and leadership, the immediate past fascist government had brutally killed our top 11 national leaders and eminent scholars in the name of trial for alleged crimes against humanity. They hanged 5 leaders by staging mock trials and pushed 5 more leaders to death. Not only that, they killed hundreds of leaders and activists and paralysed thousand others to destroy Jamaat-e-Islami. They also carried out crackdown against other opposition parties. The constitutional institutions of the state have been systematically destroyed. But the tyrants and fascists were not spared. They had to step down from power in the face of the mass uprising.
He said, “The Awami fascists banned the Jamaat-e-Islami after being disoriented by the intense mass movement of the students. They conspired to mislead the movement of students by putting the blame on the Jamaat-e-Islami. But we did not fall into that trap. As a result, Almighty Allah has given us victory. We got our rights back in just 26 days after foiling all the conspiracies.”
He also said, "The current interim government has many responsibilities. They inherited a ruined country from the hands of Awami-dictators. Therefore, the government should give reasonable time for necessary reforms in the country. And the people of the country want justice. Freedom will never be meaningful or the benefits of freedom can be enjoyed unless justice is established in the country.”
Referring to Awami oppression and persecution agaimst journalists, he said, "Journalist community is the conscience and mirror of the nation. But during the Awami League regime, they could not perform their duties independently and conscientiously. So the time has come for media workers to perform their duties independently. You will make constructive criticism of us. We have no inferiority complex in this regard.” He called upon the journalists to play the role of independent watchdog for the welfare of the country and the nation.
