Acting Secretary General of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, Maulana ATM Masum has issued the following statement on 13 December 2022 protesting and condemning the arrest of Jamaat Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami’s Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman was arrested from his residence at around 1 am on 13th December. We are vehemently condemning and protesting his arrest.

For last 15 years, the incumbent authoritarian government has been repressing and torturing Jagovernmentami continuously. Jamaat’s top 5 leaders including its former Ameer were executed to death unjustifiably. The government also kept the party’s Nayeb-e-Ameer, Secretary General, and Assistant Secretary-General behind the bars for many years. Ill efforts are going on to destroy the leadership of Jamaat-e-Islami. By oppressing Jamaat-e-Islami and to the latest, by arresting party’s Ameer, the Awami fascist government has set another stigmatized part in the history of Bangladesh’s politics. On one hand, they are talking of democracy and election, while on the other they are oppressing and squeezing the opposition leaders and activists. Practically, they do not believe in democracy.

We want to assert that, the government will not be able to thwart the ongoing movement by conducting the arrest drive.

I am urging the concerned authorities to release all detained leaders and activists including Jamaat Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman immediately and unconditionally.