Acting Ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and former lawmaker Professor Mujibur Rahman has issued the following statement on 18th September 2023 protesting and condemning the police's attack on the predeclared peaceful demonstration of Dhaka south city Jamaat and the subsequent arrests of Jamaat activists today.
Jamaat-e-Islami Dhaka south city organized a peaceful demonstration today demanding immediate release of Jamaat Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman and other leaders and religious scholars and also for restoring caretaker government system. Following the procession, when the leaders and activists were coming back, suddenly police attacked them and charged batons. Police also arrested several Jamaat leaders and activists from the spot. Police also arrested 11 Jamaat activists from Sharsha of Jessore and 3 from Ishwarganj of Mymensingh district. In last 4 days, over 100 Jamaat activists have been arrested from various places of the country. I am protesting all these repressions and arrest incidents.
The government has established a reign of terror by their tortures and oppression. They are trying to subdue the dissident voices by using the means of repression, false cases, murder and enforced disappearances. The citizens have been made deprived from all basic rights. All democratic institutions of the country have been destroyed already. False cases are being filed against the opposition leaders and activists. The leaders are being forced to leave their houses. Many of their business institutions became closed. But the authorities will not be able to supress the ongoing just movement of the people through such tortures and repression. They will be compelled to stepdown and also to allow next election under a caretaker government.
I am urging the government to stop torture and harassment, to release all detained leaders and activists including Jamaat Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman and to accept the demand of restoring caretaker government system immediately.