Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami’s Acting Secretary General Maulana ATM Masum has issued the following statement on 19th February 2023 protesting and condemning the arrests of leaders and activists from Jessore and Chuadanga districts.

Police have unjustifiably arrested 22 Jamaat leaders and activists from an in-house meeting held in Benapol Upazila under Jessore district and another 15 leaders and activists from Jibon Nagar and Darshana Upazila under the Chuadanga district. I am vehemently protesting these arrest drives.

The incumbent government has been using the state apparatus for the last 15 years to suppress the opposition leaders and activists. The government is not allowing any party to conduct its political activities. They are arresting thousands of activists of Jamaat-e-Islami and harassing them in many ways. We want to assert that Jamaat-e-Islami is a systematic and democratic political party. The constitution of the country guarantees every party to operate its political activities. No one has the right to deprive a party of exercising these rights. No oppression in the past could subdue a just movement and the incumbent government will not be able to do so as well.

I am urging the countrymen to raise their voices against theoppressionn of the government. Besides, I am asking the concerned authorities to stop torture and repression and to release all detained Jamaat leaders and activists immediately.