Acting Secretary General of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, Maulana ATM Masum has issued the following statement on 8th January 2023 urging to observe ‘Democracy Killing Day’ on next 11th January.

11th January of 2007 will be regarded as Democracy Killing Day in the history of Bangladesh. On that day, an undemocratic government grabbed the state's office by imposing a state of emergency and also by disrupting the democratic trend. Awami League termed that undemocratic government as the outcome of their movement. Except for Awami League, the country’s all political parties condemned and protested that takeover of state power.

As a part of the depoliticization process, the leaders and activists of different political parties were arrested randomly in those days. The then government also declared an outline for holding an election and got involved with politics. But they failed to gain public support for their visible complicity in corruption and injustices. To facilitate a safe exit, that military-backed government made a secret understanding with Awami League and arranged an election on 31st of December, 2008. In this designed election, Awami League candidates were declared winners in more than two-third number of constituencies. But coming to the power, keeping the continuation of the one-eleven government, Awami League also took the nation toward depoliticization and undemocracy. They destroyed rule of law, human rights, justice, voting rights, and the electoral system. Bringing the excuse of the judicial verdict in forth, they also abolished the caretaker government system. Although, all political parties, civil societies, authors, journalists, intellectuals, academicians, and professionals gave their views in favor of continuing the caretaker government system. Even though the verdict which dismissed the system, it also recommended holding the next two elections under this system. But Awami League denied that directive just for the sake of their political interest and abolished the entire system.

The nation wants to get rid of that depoliticization and undemocratic process, which had begun through one-eleven. To do so, the caretaker government system must be restored.

I am urging all city units to hold discussion programs marking the next one-eleven as the democracy killing day. I am also calling upon the countrymen to take part in the movement for establishing a caretaker government system in order to secure their voting rights.