Leaders and activists of the Dhaka University unit and the central committee of Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (student Wing of BNP) have demanded an apology from Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Shafiqur Rahman over a tweet posted from his X (formerly Twitter) account.
They warned that if no apology is issued, they will announce broader protest programs.
The demand came from a protest rally held on Sunday, around 12pm.
The rally began at Madhur Canteen on the Dhaka University campus, marched through different parts of the campus, and concluded in front of the Aparajeyo Bangla monument.
During the procession, protesters chanted slogans such as: “Shafiqur, do you know or not—half of the country’s strength is women,” “Such a hack hacked the account, calling women prostitutes to get it back,” and “Shafiq, apologize—women are not prostitutes.”
In the concluding speech, Chhatra Dal President Rakibul Islam Rakib said: “Our message through this protest is clear: he (the Jamaat ameer) must, absolutely must, apologize to these women.”
He added: “If he does not apologize, we will be forced to announce even larger programs.”
Rakib further said: “If Jamaat-e-Islami gains even a minimal amount of political strength in Bangladesh, it will pose a threat not only to women but to everything in this country.”
Chhatra Dal General Secretary Nasir Uddin Nasir said: "Many are claiming that his account was hacked. We say it’s actually his mind that has been hacked, and he himself has exposed his true face.”
Referring to the Jamaat ameer’s past electoral record, Nasir said that Shafiqur Rahman had contested elections three times and received a total of only 41,000 votes.
“Now you can see that people in his own area no longer count him, which is why he has come to Dhaka to contest from the Dhaka-15 constituency,” he added.
Among others who addressed the protest were Chhatra Dal Central Committee Organizing Secretary Amanullah Aman, Joint General Secretary Mansura Alam, DU unit General Secretary Nahiduzzaman Shipon, Women Affairs Secretary Chemon Faria Islam Meghla, along with other leaders.