24 December 2022, Sat, 3:51

Mass procession held nationwide; Police open fires; many injured; over 200 arrested

-Maulana ATM Masum

The opposition party’s pre-declared mass processions have been successfully and peacefully held nationwide today, on 24th December. Jamaat declared pre-declared programs also held across the country excluding the capital Dhaka. Police have opened fire at a procession in the Noakhali district. One Jamaat activist’s eye got wounded and he is taking treatment in a hospital in Dhaka now. Thousands of people have participated in the Jamaat declared programs.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami’s Acting Secretary General Maulana ATM Masum has issued the following statement on 24th December protesting and condemning the attacks on the Jamaat declared processions and the ongoing arrest drives.

Jamaat-e-Islami and other opposition parties declared mass processions were held nationwide to press home the 10-point demands in a bid to restore democracy, people’s voting rights, and the immediate release of Jamaat Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman. Although the processions were held peacefully but the police opened fire on the processions in Noakhali district which left 30 activists injured. Police also arrested Noakhali district’s Jamaat Nayeb-e-Ameer Maulana Sayed Ahmad and 20 others unjustifiably. Around one hundred Jamaat activists also became injured and more than two hundred activists were arrested from other places of the country including Chittagong city, Rajshahi city, Rangpur city, Dinajpur, Lalmonirhat, Joypurhat, Natore, Satkhira, Kishorganj, Tangail, Manikganj, Brahmanbaria, Chandpur, Sunamganj, Noakhali, Comilla and Borguna district. I am vehemently condemning the police’s attacks on these processions and the subsequent arrest of Jamaat leaders and activists.

Earlier, on the last 10th of December, Jamaat-e-Islami and other opposition parties had declared programs for simultaneous movement to attain 10-point demands including holding a free, fair, and credible election under a caretaker government. The entire nation is united in materializing these programs and they participated in the declared programs spontaneously. But the law enforcers have opened fire on these processions, made many people injured, and also arrested a significant number of people. The incumbent fascist government is conducting huge repression and torture against Jamaat-e-Islami and other opposition parties. The government on the one hand is taking about democracy and election, while on the other they are keeping opposition leaders behind the bar. Actually, they do not believe in democracy. We want to assert that, they will not be able to subdue the ongoing political movement by continuing repression, torture, and detentions.

There is no democracy, rule of law, and human rights in the country now. People’s voting rights and rights to expression have been seized away. Suppressing dissident views, a unilateral fascist rule has been initiated. The judicial system and rule of law have been destroyed. People’s lives, properties, and dignity are not secured. The country is regularly witnessing heinous crimes including abduction, enforced disappearance, murder, and rape.

I am appreciating the countrymen for making Jamaat-e-Islami and other opposition parties declared mass processions successful. I am also urging my fellow countrymen to observe the upcoming political programs as a part of the ongoing simultaneous movement effective and successful as well. Besides, I am calling upon the concerned authorities to stop torture and repression and to release all the detained opposition leaders and activists immediately.