Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami’s Acting Secretary General Maulana ATM Masum has issued the following statement on 12th November 2023 protesting and condemning the police’s arrest drives and repression and simultaneous obstruction against the ongoing blockade.

“Anti-government peaceful movement is going on demanding the resignation of the government, formation of the election-time caretaker government, release of Jamaat Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman and all political detainees, withdrawal of false cases and also for bringing the prices of the essentials within the people’s capacity. The government is creating bar against the constitutional rights of the people and also obstructing the opposition to hold their processions and rallies. Hundreds of leaders and activists are being kept imprisoned in connection with false cases. In last 24 hours, police arrested 64 leaders and activists of Jamaat-e-Islami and its front organizations including Sylhet city’s Surma Dokhin thana secretary Faizul Islam Zaigirdar. The government has turned the entire nation into a big prison. I am vehemently condemning and protesting all these unjustified arrest incidents.

The government has undertaken ill-strategies to subdue the opposition movement. By passing the mainstream opposition parties, they are mulling to hold another farcical election with the participation of some of its subservient parties. We want to warn the government by saying that stop all conspiracies. Do not play dirty games with people’s voting rights and democracy. Accept the just demands of the opposition parties. Save the country from destruction and uncertainty.

Addressing the election commission, we want to say that opposition parties are doing movement for pressing their various demands centering the upcoming election. There is no congenial atmosphere in the country to hold an election. Level playing field is not created yet. Many opposition leaders are behind the bar. We are asking the election commission not to declare election schedule until a political consensus is ensured.

The labor communities are in movement demanding better salary and other facilities. Accept their demand. Do not open fire against them. Do not put the nation toward severe crisis. Act rationally and step down immediately to hold next election under a caretaker government.

I am urging the government to stop torture, harassment and arrest drives and to release all detained opposition leaders and activists immediately.”