Assistant Secretary General of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, Maulana Rafiqul Islam Khan has issued the following statement on 31 December 2019 protesting and condemning the incident as around 50 people, including Gano Samhati Andolon Convenor Zonayed Saki were injured in a clash between the Left Democratic Alliance (LDA) and police.

“Police’s attack on the procession of the Left Democratic Alliance which left at least 50 people including Gano Sanghati Andolon Convenor Zonayed Saki and Revolutionary Workers Party of Bangladesh (RWPB) General Secretary Saiful Haque as well as several photojournalists and law enforcers, injured in a clash between the Left Democratic Alliance (LDA) and police while the alliance were observing its pre-declared program of marching towards the office of the Prime Minister yesterday. I am vehemently condemning the incident.

In a democratic country, it is the constitutionally secured rights of the citizens to hold rally and procession. No elected government can obstruct such program. The government which snatches the people’s just rights away can never be termed as democratic government. If our incumbent government were an elected government, they could not bar such a peaceful procession. Yesterday’s brutal attack on the procession of the Left Democratic Alliances exposed the undemocratic face of the incumbent authoritarian government. I am urging my fellow countrymen to remain united to restore democracy, rule of law and people’s due rights.

I am calling upon the concerned authorities to demonstrate respect towards the democratic rights of the people and to stop harassment and crackdown against the rallies, processions and meetings of the opposition parties. In addition, I am urging them to stop arrest drives and also to release all the political prisoners immediately.