8 September 2022, Thu, 9:01

Trustee board of Manarat International University reorganized; Acting Secretary General criticizes

- Maulana ATM Masum

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami’s Acting Secretary General Maulana ATM Masum has issued the following statement on 8th September 2022 protesting and condemning the steps of reorganizing the trustee board of Manarat International University and subsequent propaganda implicating Jamaat-e-Islami and Chhatrashibir.

“As per our knowledge, Manarat International University is a university which had been established according to the Private University Act of the country. All academic activities of this university are being continued according to the specific curriculum. There are lots of allegations and scandals against various other private universities. But Manarat International University is free from such allegations. No complaints have been brought from the students, guardians, or teachers. However, through a sudden step, the government dismissed the trustee board of this university and reconstituted it with some new members, which is completely unjustified and illegal.

According to its tradition, the government in the latest circular claimed that the policymakers of the university have a secret relationship with the fanatic and extremist groups as well as with Jamaat-Shibir’s top leadership. It was also stated that the students of this university are forced to take part in the activities of Jamaat and Chhatrashibir. Actually, by using these unwanted words, they brought up the issue of Jamaat-Shibir irrationally. All these are sheer campaigns and nothing but the ill intention of the government.

As we know, no allegation of illegal activities against Manarat International University has been proven so far. Whatever is said in the government’s circular about Jamaat’s activities or its connection with terrorism and extremism is false. We want to assert that, since its inception, Jamaat and Islami Chhatrashibir have been continuing their systematic activities in an appropriate way. Jamaat has no nexus with militancy or extremism. The authority brought these allegations forth just to establish its full control over the university.

The government has been trying to capture various financial and academic institutions for years. The incident of dismissing the trustee board of Manarat International University is a part of that process. We are vehemently condemning such onesided, illegal, and unjust steps of the government and urging the concerned authorities to withdraw this decision.