Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami’s Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman has issued the following statement on 29th July, 2024 calling to revoke the curfew, stopping the genocide, avoiding the ways of oppression and torture and demanding probing into the recent events in Bangladesh and simultaneously pressing for the release of all detained leaders and activists including Jamaat’s Nayeb-e-Ameer Dr. Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher and Secretary General and former MP Professor Mia Golam Porwar.

The government has created an anarchic situation by turning the non-political movement of the students into a political one by carrying out massacres in the country. The students' movement was by no means a political movement. The teachers' community, cultural personalities, socio-cultural organizations of the country have extended support to the students who are agitating on the quota issue. When the non-political, peaceful and orderly movement of students across the country became widespread, the government took steps to suppress the movement. Chhatra League, Jubo League attacked the agitators as per the minister’s provocative and offensive statements. With that, the police opened fire. The black chapter of mass killing was opened.

There is no internet service in the country. Banks, trade, internal and external communication and foreign travel have been completely stopped. Many expatriates are in a difficult situation as their visas have expired.

The government is using its party cadres including the goons of Chhatra League, Jubo League, Sramik League and Awami League along with the law enforcers to cause a mass killing and now they are trying to shift the blame upon the opposition parties. Every day the head of the government uses the state apparatus and the media to spread lies against the opposition political parties and simultaneously instructed to carry mass arrests. The government has provided false information to foreign diplomats to mislead the international community. Diplomats already raised their concern to the government demanding justice for the killings and asking for information on how many people were killed. So far, no information has been given by the government.
In a press briefing at the Secretariat on July 28, the Home Minister informed that 147 people had been killed. He mentioned that this number may increase further. The actual death toll is in the hundreds. And the number of injured is thousands. More than five hundred people became paralyzed.

The government is entirely responsible for this tragic mass killing. In fact, the Prime Minister herself gave a provocative speech against the students' just movement in a press conference held at Ganabhaban. The Bridges Minister has incited the Bangladesh Chhatra League cadres by saying that Chhatra League cadres are enough to tackle the agitating students. The Minister of Liberation War announced another war and abetted to attack the peaceful movement of the students. But no one can show evidence of any kind of provocative speech by any leader of Jamaat-e-Islami. On the contrary, there are hundreds of pieces of evidence and video footages of the government's provocative statements. So, the government is responsible for the ongoing mass killing. Following the aggressive speech of the government, Chhatra League, Jubo League, Shramik League, police, RAB and other law enforcement agencies attacked the protesting students. The explosion of their shells, tear shells, bullets and sound grenades caused massive casualties. The government and its party cadre forces had started attacks. Now they are looking for an excuse to put the blame on the opposition parties in order to oppress the opponents. The countrymen will not allow such conspiracy of the government. Shortly, the current dummy government will be held accountable to the people for their mass killings.

The people with good conscience all over the world, the United Nations, democratic states and institutions have protested against the mass killings of the government and demanded a fair and impartial investigation and urged to bring the offenders to the book. 150 world leaders have called upon the United Nations to take action in regards to the mass killings in Bangladesh.

The government has made the situation more complicated. On the first and second day of the curfew, more than 50 people were killed as it is reported in national newspapers and media. Physical and mental tortures were committed against the coordinators of the student movement. While undergoing treatment, they were taken to the DB custody from the hospital. When a delegation of Dhaka University teachers went to the DB office to inquire about those students but the DB officials did not meet those teachers. The Home Minister was quoted as saying that they have been taken into custody as they expressed their insecurity. But surprisingly, on 28th July night, the coordinators broadcast a video message and declared to withdraw their programs. It is not difficult for anyone to understand that they were forced to make such declaration. We have observed that other coordinators of the students’ movement have announced a nationwide protest program on 29th July rejecting the telecasted announcement of coordinators, who are still in DB custody. The government's role of applying forces have made the students more defiant.

Instead of restoring a peaceful environment, the government has created a dire situation in the country by continuing torture, mass arrests and police remands. The country's intellectuals, writers, journalists, columnists and leaders of various political parties have blamed the government's exaggerated activities for the ongoing massacre. They called on the government to stop repression and restore normalcy in the country. Almost all political parties of the country, social, cultural organizations and prominent citizens condemned and protested the government's role in recent times and demanded a fair investigation and trial of the latest events.

Impartial investigation and trial are not possible by a government that commits massacres. Therefore, we are calling for launching an international commission of inquiry under the supervision of the United Nations to identify those responsible for the mass killings and hand them over to the International Criminal Court for trial.

We call for the immediate withdrawal of curfew, to stop political repression, arrest operations and the attitude of blaming the opposition parties and also to establish an atmosphere of peace and tranquility in the country by accepting the demands of the students. I am urging all classes, professions, political parties and countrymen to come forward to speak out unitedly against the oppression, torture and mass killings of the government. Besides, we are demanding immediate release of political leaders and activists including Jamaat’s Nayeb-e-Ameer and former MP Dr. Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher, Secretary General and former MP Professor Mia Golam Porwar, Assistant Secretary General Advocate Ehsanul Mahbub Zubair, Central Working committee member Dr. Samiul Haq Faruqee and central working committee member and Sylhet city Jamaat Ameer Fakhrul Islam.”