Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami’s Ameer Maqbul Ahmad has issued the following statement on 29th August, 2017 urging the fellow citizens of the country to raise voice against the conspiracy of destroying the nation, state and the judiciary.
“Bangladesh the independent and sovereign nation, which has emerged through a liberation war, is now in a deep crisis. The constitution, judiciary and the state mechanism are under severe threat. The addiction of the present Awami League government for staying in office is pushing all the constitutional institutions and judiciary at stake. Awami League’s only will is to stay in power by any means. To meet their ill-motivated target, they have scrapped the caretaker government system by a lame excuse of a court’s verdict; though all the political parties, academicians, journalists, researchers and peoples of different professionals had recommended earlier for upholding the caretaker government system.
This Awami League had observed strike for 173 days to attain their demand of establishing caretaker government system. But now, they have scrapped this system ignoring people’s view just to ensure their comeback in power. Such move is the root of all crises. Awami League arranged the following parliamentary election under a partisan government which was overwhelmingly boycotted by the general masses.
Awami League grabbed the power through a farcical election on 5th January, 2014 and demolished the electoral system. Since then, all the local elections including Upazila election, city corporation polls and municipality polls were nothing but an arrangement to send the Awami League candidates to the respective office. Practically, there is no electoral system in the country now. The election commission has become a subservient body of the government.
It is popularly said that the citizens are the owner of the state. But Awami League has misused the state apparatus and seized the rights of the people. Meetings, rallies, political congregation and general activities are suspended now. Police open fire even on peaceful rallies of the opposition parties. Potential and qualified personnel of the opposition quarters are being abducted and murdered in a selective way. Political dissidents are subdued by carrying attack by the ruling party hooligans. Press freedom, fundamental rights are oppressed. Peoples are being killed and kidnapped because of telling the truth. Law and order situation are miserably poor. Rape incidents are being taken place randomly. Dead bodies are found here and there. Extra judicial killings have become the routine work of the government.
Amid such a crucial situation, recently the Apex court has declared the 16th amendment to the constitution as void and illegal. In the observation of the verdict, the apex court upheld their views about the constitution, democracy, democratic institutions, election commission and law and order situation. The apex court vehemently criticized the political tendency and culture of ‘Everything is mine’ and opined to get rid of such ill practices. They also termed the 2014 election as questionable and unacceptable. The court in its findings further viewed that 70 percent MPs of the present parliament are businessmen and the parliament is immature. The apex court emphasised on holding a free, fair and credible election and placed some recommendations. They also reminded their previous verdict’s observation of holding at least two parliamentary elections under the neutral caretaker government.
Centring the court’s verdict, ruling Awami League is trying to create a chaotic situation in the country. Awami League leaders, MPs and ministers are openly delivering aggressive and provocative speeches against the Apex court and the chief justice of the Supreme Court (SC).
Even the Prime Minister has made an indecent address against the apex court on 21st August which is unprecedented in history of Bangladesh. She also urged the chief justice to leave his office. Then in the following cabinet meeting, she voiced for creating public opinion against this SC verdict. Several ministers also called the chief justice to leave the country. Ruling Awami League’s general secretary rushed to the residence of the chief justice to reveal their party stance. President also invited the chief justice in Banga Bhavan and created pressure on him in presence of the law minister. Several news papers also reported about a meeting between the chief justice and the Advisor to the Prime Minister Gawhar Rizvi. Pro-Awami League lawyers also criticized the chief justice from their meetings and processions. They also set a 48 hour ultimatum for the resignation of the chief justice.
The courts earlier delivered many verdicts. 5 top leaders of Bangladesh’s one of the biggest political party, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami including its Ameer and another senior leader of the main opposition party have been executed already in connection with some false cases filed by the present Awami League government. Though the trial processes of those cases were full of loopholes and inconsistencies, however nobody and no quarter protested or resisted those verdicts of the apex court. By the will of Almighty Allah, one day the dark history of such unjustifiable executions would be revealed.
The 16th amendment cancellation verdict once again proved that Awami League wants to establish a subservient judicial system. This is why, they have take stance against the judiciary explicitly. The fellow citizens of the country still remind the bad practices of Awami League. From 1996 to 2001, the then home minister led a procession against the judiciary with sticks in their hands. Awami League men also vandalised the court room of the chief justices and kicked at his door. And at present, the target of Awami League’s aggressive actions against the apex court is to destroy the judiciary.
Awami League has declared war against the apex court. The countrymen are observing with great concern that Awami League has begun their ultimate game to demolish the judiciary and the constitutional institutions. It is also clear to the fellow citizens of the country that this government has no moral right to stay in power. The incumbent parliament is not comprised by the elected public representatives. The Prime Minister also termed the election of 5th January 2014, as an election of maintaining the obligations. But the high addiction for power is refraining them to implement such decision. The government has become reckless to stay in office. A mass resistance is needed to save the country, particularly to protect the nation, state and the judiciary.
Under the circumstances, I am calling upon the fellow citizens to raise voice against the conspiracy of destroying the nation, state and the judiciary.”
