Acting Secretary General of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Maulana ATM Masum has issued the following statement on 1st November 2023 protesting and condemning the obstruction against the ongoing blockade of the opposition parties, ongoing attacks and repression and simultaneously thanking the countrymen for making the blockade program successful nationwide.

I am hailing the countrymen for responding to the call of the opposition forces and also for making ongoing blockade program successful. Jamaat-e-Islami’s blockade program is continuing demanding the resignation of the government, holding next election under caretaker government, immediate release of Jamaat Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman, other leaders and religious scholars, withdrawal of the false cases and bringing the price of the essentials within the people’s capacities. During this blockade program, the law enforcers and the cadres are making attacks relentlessly. The ruling partymen are vandalizing the vehicles, causing arson and anarchy and blaming the opposition parties for the misdeeds. The government has undertaken an intimidating policy through the police forces which is a big threat for the nation and democracy.

Jamaat’s central Majlish-e-Shura member, Chittagong city Jamaat’s Nayeb-e-Ameer and former MP Shahjahan Chowdhury has secured bail in all cases and waiting for release. But the authority showed him arrested today in another false case and thwarted his release. I am condemning such ill-attempt of the government. Police also carried a raid in the house of Pabna district Ameer Professor Abu Taleb Mondol on 31st October. But he was not in the house at that time as such the police arrested his younger son Tamim al Juhani and handed him over to the Ishwardi police station. In another incident, some helmet wearing miscreants picked up Natore district’s Noldanga Upazila’s Khajura union Ameer Mosharraf Hossain and stabbed him brutally. Police also arrested over hundred Jamaat leaders and activists in last 24 houses including party’s central Majlish-e-Shura member and Satkhira district Jamaat secretary Maulana Azizur Rahman.

Jamaat and other opposition party leaders and activists are being sued in false cases. An anarchic situation has been created nationwide. I am condemning the repression and torture of the government. The government has turned the entire nation into a giant prison. But people’s justified movement will not be subdued because of the government’s crackdown, murder and repressive activities.

The government has reshuffled the administrations as per their choices and utilizing the admin and the law enforcers, they are plotting conspiracies for coming back to the power through a farcical election. But the countrymen have rejected this fascist government by sincerely supporting the ongoing blockade program. The tyrant regime has no moral right to stay in office even for a day. They have to resign immediately to hand over power to a caretaker government in order to facilitate the way for 12th national election.

I am urging the government to stop oppression and to release all detained leaders and activists of Jamaat-e-Islami and Islami Chhatrashibir including former MP Shahjahan Chowdhury and Maulana Azizur Rahman immediately. I am calling upon the Jamaat activists and the countrymen to continue the ongoing blockade peacefully.