Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman declared on Sunday that the revolutionary spirit of July 2024 will remain active until the rights of all 18 crore citizens are fully secured.
Addressing a massive 11-party alliance electoral rally at Shaheed Darog Ali Municipal Park, the Jamaat chief urged the voters to remain vigilant and act as "guards of the nation" to prevent the return of corruption and fascism.
In a direct warning regarding election security, Dr. Shafiqur Rahman instructed his followers to resist any attempts at voter intimidation. "If anyone attempts to initiate terrorism during the election, give them an equal response in the name of Allah—no more than necessary," he stated.
He advised activists to report issues to the administration first, but added that if the authorities fail to act and the area becomes a "sanctuary for miscreants," then resisting such forces becomes an "obligatory duty" (Wajib).
The Jamaat Ameer addressed the recent controversy regarding his hacked X (formerly Twitter) account, which was used to post derogatory remarks about women. "I hold our mothers in the highest regard. My account was hacked to post distasteful comments, and one particular party immediately began celebrating and marching over it. Those who do not respect mothers are the ones marching now," he said.
Dr. Shafiqur confirmed his team regained access after seven hours and offered a public apology to any woman who felt pained by the misinformation during that interval. He further condemned threats made by certain rivals to harass women wearing hijabs or burqas during the campaign, warning that "if anyone lays a hand on our mothers, Bangladesh will explode."
Rejecting the concept of unemployment stipends, Dr. Shafiqur promised to create "halal employment" and empower the younger generation. "We do not want to give the youth allowances; we want to place them in the cockpit of the aircraft named `Bangladesh` while we take the passenger seats. You are our pride and our future," he told the crowd.
Regarding local development, the Amir promised significant infrastructure for Sherpur, including:
1. Agriculture University: Recognizing Sherpur as an agrarian hub.
2. Medical College: Pledging that under a Jamaat-led government, no district in Bangladesh will be without a medical college.
3. Industrialization: Establishing industries tailored to the specific needs of each region.
Dr. Shafiqur highlighted Jamaat’s commitment to judicial integrity, noting that the party has filed 1,200 cases nationally, naming only the specific individuals responsible rather than the "thousands of unnamed accused" common in political litigation. He vowed that a Jamaat-led government would eliminate the culture of "tender-grabbing," extortion, and illegal land occupation.
The rally concluded with Dr. Shafiqur officially handing over the "Scales" (Daripalla) election symbol to the three alliance candidates for Sherpur: Hafez Rashedul Islam (Sherpur-1), Mu. Golam Kibria VP (Sherpur-2), and Nuruzzaman Badal (Sherpur-3).
The event featured speeches from prominent leaders, including DUCSU GS S.M. Forhad and representatives from the AB Party and Khelafat Majlis, drawing a massive turnout of activists and "July Revolution" veterans.
