Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami’s Acting Ameer and former member of the Parliament Professor Mujibur Rahman has issued the following statement on 20th March 2023 demanding the immediate release of Jamaat Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman, Nayeb-e-Ameer and world-renowned Quranic scholar Allama Delawar Hossain Sayedee, Assistant Secretary General ATM Azharul Islam, noted religious personality and former MP Principal Maulana Abdul Khaleq Mondol and other detained leaders and activists of Jamaat-e-Islami, Islami Chhatrashibir and the religious personnel and to let them keep fasting along with their families in the upcoming holy month of Ramadan.

The government has unjustifiably arrested Jamaat Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman on last 12th December. Jamaat’s Nayeb-e-Ameer and world-renowned Quranic scholar Allama Delawar Hossain Sayedee is in the prison for almost 13 years. He is 85 now and became physically weak due to old age. He had to take support for walking or for minimum movement. Jamaat’s Assistant Secretary General ATM Azharul Islam is behind the bar for 11 years. He has been suffering from various complicated diseases. Movement becomes tougher for him as well. noted religious personality and former MP Principal Maulana Abdul Khaleq Mondol is imprisoned for 8 years. He lost his son during this imprisonment. He is physically weak as well.

Jamaat’s Nayeb-e-Ameer and former MP Maulana ANM Shamsul Islam, Secretary General and former MP Professor Mia Golam Porwar, Assistant Secretary General Maulana Rafiqul Islam Khan, former MP Shahjahan Chowdhury, and many leaders and activists are passing terrible days as imprisoned. They have been suffering from imprisonment as the authority lodged false cases against them.

The government has also kept a significant number of religious scholars and Islamic personalities detained for many days. Many of them used to lead prayers in different mosques. So, the Muslim devotees are being deprived of their accompany and good lessons.

The holy month of Ramadan is knocking at our door with the message of blessings, bounties, and salvation. It is the obligation of the government to stop torture this month and also to release all leaders and activists so that they can keep fasting with their families. It is completely a violation of the Islamic spirit if the authority intends to cause pain for any fellow Muslims during this holy month.

We are urging the concerned authorities to release all detained leaders and activists including Dr. Shafiqur Rahman, Allama Delawar Hossain Sayedee, ATM Azharul Islam, Principal Maulana Abdul Khaleq, Maulana ANM Shamsul Islam, Professor Mia Golam Porwar, Maulana Rafiqul Islam Khan and Shahjahan Chowdhury ahead of the month of Ramadan.