Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman has demanded the release of the party’s Assistant Secretary General ATM Azharul Islam, emphasizing that Jamaat has remained steadfast against oppression for 15 and a half years, sacrificing lives without compromise, and warning against further testing their patience or attempting to intimidate them.
Shafiqur Rahman made these remarks at a rally and protest march organized at Purana Paltan in the capital this Tuesday afternoon.
The event was held to demand the release of ATM Azharul Islam.
The rally was scheduled to start at 4:00pm.
Earlier, at around 3:30pm, a stage was set up by combining three pickup vans.
From 3:15pm onwards, a large number of leaders and activists joined the rally in processions from different areas of the capital.
The Jamaat Ameer said that they had never imagined they would have to take to the streets for the release of ATM Azharul Islam.
He declared that protests and demonstrations would continue until his release.
He also expressed hope that the government would come to its senses regarding this issue.
Raising the question of what is still keeping Azharul Islam imprisoned, Shafiqur Rahman remarked that after August 5, many others had been released one by one. He urged for the release of the last remaining oppressed individual, referring to Azharul Islam.
The top leader of Jamaat said: “We are polite, but we are not fools. Do not mistake our politeness for weakness.”
He reiterated that Jamaat has not submitted to any oppressive force in the last 15 and a half years. It has given lives but has not compromised. Even before taking Jamaat leaders to the gallows, many proposals were presented, but they were all rejected.
Therefore, he warned not to test Jamaat’s patience any further.
Shafiqur Rahman also questioned why Jamaat’s registration was being withheld.
He claimed that tyrants had blocked Jamaat’s registration. He asserted that the movement would continue until all forms of discrimination were eliminated. Without naming anyone, he said, “Please, do not intimidate us. Do not speak in the language of fascism.”
At the rally before the protest march, Jamaat’s Dhaka South Ameer, Nurul Islam Bulbul, said that after the revolution, the chief adviser of the interim government had cleared his own cases, as had the legal adviser.
However, ATM Azharul Islam, who has been unjustly suffering in prison under a false death sentence for 14 years, is still not being released. He questioned what conspiracy was behind this.
Nurul Islam Bulbul said: “We have been patient for six months and ten days. We had hoped that the interim government, in a new Bangladesh, would fulfill its duty by releasing ATM Azharul Islam, who has been a victim of discrimination. Unfortunately, he has not been released yet. From this rally, we demand his release. We demand the reinstatement of Jamaat’s registration. We demand the return of Jamaat’s electoral symbol, the scales.”
Jamaat’s Dhaka North Ameer, Mohammad Selim Uddin, emphasized that the release of Azharul Islam was a rightful demand.
He said that they had taken to the streets after 190 days, something they had not expected would be necessary to press their demands.
The rally was conducted by Jamaat’s Dhaka South Secretary, Shafiqul Islam Masud, and Dhaka North Secretary, Muhammad Rezaul Karim. After the rally, the protest march began at Purana Paltan and ended at Shahbagh after passing through Press Club and Matsya Bhaban intersection.
