Jamaat-e-Islami Amir Dr Shafiqur Rahman on Saturday declared corruption as the next battleground for the party, vowing that future Jamaat MPs and ministers will shun government perks, tax-free cars, and personal handling of funds.

Despite collapsing twice on stage due to heat and exhaustion, Dr Shafiqur delivered a resolute speech seated on the stage floor at the party’s at national rally at Suhrawardy Udyan, emphasising a corruption-free vision for Bangladesh and rejecting elitism in favor of representing the masses.

A pledge against corruption

Presiding over the rally, which drew tens of thousands to advocate for a proportional representation system and the July Charter, Dr Shafiqur outlined a zero-tolerance policy for corruption. “One fight was against fascism; the next will be against corruption. We will do whatever it takes to root it out,” he declared. “If Jamaat forms the government, our MPs and ministers will not accept government gifts, ride tax-free cars, or handle money directly. Every allocation will be transparently explained to Bangladesh’s 160 million people.”

He added, “We will not take bribes, nor tolerate corruption. I speak not as the Jamaat Amir but as one of the 160 crore –a friend to children, a brother to youth, a comrade to the elderly, and a voice for the working class, not the elite.”

Resilience amid health scare

Dr Shafiqur’s speech was briefly disrupted when he collapsed twice due to heat exhaustion, first at 5:26pm and again shortly after resuming. Party volunteers and doctors at one of the 15 on-site medical booths provided first aid, but he resisted further treatment, insisting on completing his address.

Seated on the stage floor with a microphone, he continued, “As long as Allah gives us life, the fight for the people will go on. If given the chance, we will serve, not rule.”

The rally was overshadowed by tragedy, with Shafiqur announcing the deaths of three supporters that day, including Dacope upazila Amir Maulana Abu Sayeed, killed in a bus collision in Faridpur en route to the event. “May Allah accept them as martyrs. Their sacrifices saved many lives today,” he said, urging respect for the 2024 July uprising’s youth leaders and condemning those who belittle them as “child politicians” or use divisive rhetoric.

A vision for a new Bangladesh

Shafiqur Rahman called for a “new system” to honour the sacrifices of the July uprising, which ousted the Awami League government. “If old, rotten systems persist, why did so many give their lives? Bangladesh will run on a new framework,” he asserted, aligning with the party’s push for electoral reforms and national unity.

He expressed personal regret for not achieving martyrdom in the July movement, adding, “I pray Allah accepts me as a martyr in the fight for justice.”

The rally, Jamaat’s first solo event at Suhrawardy Udyan, featured extensive logistics – 50,000-60,000 water bottles, 500 toilets, and 6,000 volunteers – and inclusive measures like sign language interpretation.

Despite the Faridpur accident and Shafiqur Rahman’s health scare, leaders like Nayeb-e-Amir Professor Mujibur Rahman and Secretary General Professor Mia Golam Parwar ensured the event’s success.