Acting Ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and former lawmaker Professor Mujibur Rahman has issued the following statement on 30th October 2023 protesting and condemning the unlawful arrest of 160 Jamaat leaders and activists from various places of the country including Barisal city Jamaat Ameer Zahir Uddin Muhammad Babar.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, BNP and other opposition parties had declared grand rallies in the capital on 28th October. Since the declaration, the government is continuing nationwide arrest drives, repression, threats and intimidation, public harassment and lodging of false cases. They are conducting raids in the houses, offices and business institutions of the opposition men. Thousands of activists cannot stay in home in fear of arrest. Police administration and the ruling partymen are harassing the opposition activists in connection with false cases. As a part of the same repressive strategy, police arrested around 160 leaders and activists from various places of the country including Barisal city Jamaat Ameer Zahir Uddin Muhammad Babar. I am condemning these arrest drives.

The countrymen are severely dissatisfied because of the repression and torture of the incumbent fascist government. The government has become reckless watching the presence of huge number of people in the recent rallies of the opposition parties. The government has lost public support and they cannot stay in office for long. The will be compelled to leave the office anytime.

The people want the government to hand over power to the caretaker government in order to hold a free, fair and credible election. I am urging the government to meet the public demand and to rescue the nation from the prevailing political crisis.

I am calling upon the government to stop repression and torture immediately and to release all detained Jamaat and Chhatrashibir leaders and activists including Barisal city Jamaat Ameer Zahir Uddin Muhammad Babar immediately.