Diplomatic Correspondent: Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Saida Shinichi on Sunday called on Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman at Jamaat`s central office.

The Japanese envoy and the Jamaat chief discussed issues of bilateral interest with utmost sincerity and cordiality during the meeting.

At the beginning of the meeting, the Jamaat Ameer presented a brief history of his party and highlighted the stand of the party on freedom of speech and religious rights to the ambassador. 

Pointing out the political repression, particularly the ruination of electoral system of the country by the autocratic ruler, Dr Shafiqur Rahman said that the previous Awami League (AL) government has totally destroyed the electoral system of the country. 

He focused on the scenarios of the farcical elections of 2014, 2018 and 2024 and said that the then ambassador of Japan termed the general election of 2018 as the `election of midnight`.

The Jamaat chief also pointed out the imprisonment, torture, abduction and enforced disappearances and the killings of Jamaat leaders implicating them in false and fabricated cases during the tenure of the fascist government. Jamaat Islami was the worst victim of torture during the period of the fascist government, he claimed.

The Japanese Ambassador thanked the Jamaat chief and highlighted his position in the context of Bangladesh-Japan relationship and the upcoming general election of Bangladesh. 

He expressed his firm conviction about for a free, fair and peaceful election here and hoped to strengthen the existing bilateral relations between the two countries.

Among others, senior Jamaat leader who recently freed from jail ATM Azharul Islam, Nayeb-e-Ameer and former lawmaker Dr Syed Abdullah Md Taher, former lawmaker AMN Shamsul Islam, secretary general and former lawmaker Prof Miah Golam Parwar, central executive member and secretary to the central publicity and media cell of the party Advocate Matiur Rahman Akond, central executive member Mobarak Hussain and foreign affairs adviser to the Ameer Prof Dr Mahmudul Hassan were present during the meeting.