Expressing his expectation for an election that reflects the will of the people, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman said, “We want a peaceful and fair election—an election where there will be no atmosphere of fear. This is the kind of election we want.”

He made these remarks today, Wednesday, 21 January, while visiting Jamaat leaders and activists who are currently receiving treatment at Ibn Sina Hospital after coming under attack by miscreants in the Pirerbazar area of the Dhaka-15 constituency (Mirpur–Kafrul) on Tuesday, 20 January.

Dr. Shafiqur Rahman said, “The injured are being treated at this hospital. We came to see them. In total, 25 people are receiving treatment here. Why did this happen? Election campaigning is scheduled to begin tomorrow (22 January).”

He said, “If anyone from our side violates the election code of conduct, there are appropriate authorities to deal with that. They can inform the authorities, and the authorities will take action accordingly. They may warn us or ask for explanations. But no individual or party has the authority to take action on their own. No individual or party has any authority to create a mob in this regard. We strongly condemn this mob violence. We want to see mob politics end here. Remember, people across the world are now very conscious—the days of influencing public opinion through mobs are over,” he said.

He said, “Our commitment is clear—we want to build a society based on justice and fairness, free from corruption and misgovernance, a society where fascism will never return. To achieve this, we will participate in two votes simultaneously—one is the National Parliamentary Election, and the other is the referendum.”

Warning candidates participating in the national election, Dr. Shafiqur Rahman said, “Those who are contesting in all 300 constituencies—I request everyone to place trust in the people. Allow the people to peacefully cast their votes and place them into the ballot box according to their chosen symbol. Whoever is elected through this process, it will be the responsibility of all political parties to cooperate with and congratulate them. But if, even now, the electoral field is disrupted using the same methods of the past fifteen and a half years, the awakened youth will not forgive it.”

He said, “The youth brought about change with the blood of their chests. We, the people of the country, stood with them; they provided the leadership. Those young men and women who led that movement are now 30 to 35 years old. They have had the right to vote since the age of 18, but to this day they have not been able to cast a vote.”

The Jamaat Ameer said, “The greatest right of a citizen is the right to vote, and that right has been taken away from them. If anyone once again comes forward with the slogan, ‘This time too, I will cast my vote and yours as well,’ the youth will respond appropriately through votes and ballots. Maintaining a peaceful stance and showing mutual respect, I call on everyone to cooperate for a fair election,”.

Condemning the attacks on Jamaat’s female and male activists, the Jamaat Ameer said, “Those who laid hands on our brothers and assaulted our mothers—we strongly condemn them. Were they not born from a mother’s womb? Do they not have mothers and sisters at home? They must have received at least some respect for mothers and sisters from their families. If they did not, then that is unfortunate.”

He said, “Not only in the Dhaka-15 constituency—here and there we are hearing of such sporadic incidents. We say to the Election Commission and the government: if you truly want to see the commitment you have made for a fair election realized, then you must fulfill your responsibilities. You must ensure a level playing field for all, provide equal opportunities to everyone, and take those who engage in terrorism and criminality under the law—without looking at their faces, but by looking at your duty.”