Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman has accused the Awami League of being a syndicate of mass murderers rather than a political party. He claimed that while Bangladesh enjoys religious and social harmony, a certain group that ruled the country for 23 and a half years disrupted unity by dividing the people into various factions—pro-Liberation, anti-Liberation, majority, and minority groups.
Speaking as the chief guest at a Jamaat district and metropolitan workers’ conference at the Hemayetuddin Eidgah ground in Barisal on Tuesday, Dr Shafiqur alleged that the Awami League sowed division and excluded those outside their circle, treating them as outsiders to the nation.
He said: "We joined our children on the streets to resist fascism. For 15 and a half years, we endured attacks and struggles. While we may have laid the foundation to uproot fascism, we couldn't do so through political movements."
Referring to previous protests, he said: "The last movement wasn’t political; it was about securing the rights of students and youths. They demanded reforms in the quota system.”
“To suppress them, the government sent armed groups. Around the world, people sacrifice their lives for rights, but only Abu Sayeed embraced death by spreading his hands like wings to accept the bullet," he added.
Dr Shafiqur further alleged that countless incidents in Bangladesh occurred due to the "monstrous mentality" of one party and one individual.
"They are addicted to power and wealth, arrogant and dismissive of others. They are mass murderers. We demand justice for the killings carried out by this party and its members. Let them face the consequences under the law," he added.
He called upon those in exile: "If you truly love the country, come back. During your rule, we were imprisoned repeatedly. Now, you will witness how you treated us.”
He added: “You fabricated cases and killed our leaders through staged trials, but you committed murders in broad daylight. The nation and the world are witnesses. You even burnt bodies hastily to hide evidence. Where was your humanity?"
Dr Shafiqur questioned whether the Awami League should be allowed to contest elections before facing justice for mass killings.
"Let the victims receive justice first. The people will decide whether the Awami League deserves to do politics in this country. If politics means mass murder, the people will never tolerate such a party," he said.
He claimed that the Awami League has proven itself to be a syndicate of mass murderers. "We challenge the Awami League to prove our statements false in court," he said.
Dr Shafiqur alleged that Jamaat-e-Islami faced the worst persecution, with its leaders executed one by one.
"Renowned scholar Allama Delwar Hossain Sayeedi was pushed towards death. Numerous leaders and activists were abducted. Homes were destroyed, and all our political offices were shut down. Just four days before their political suicide, they banned Jamaat-e-Islami. But four days later, Allah made them politically irrelevant in the hearts of the people,” he said.
He added: “This was not due to our efforts but Allah's will. He gave the nation's children the courage to stand tall, leading to the downfall of fascism."
The conference was presided over by Barisal Metropolitan Jamaat Ameer Principal Zahir Uddin Muhammad Babar. Other speakers included martyr Faisal Ahmed Shanto's father Zakir Hossain, Asim Kumar Haldar, and central and local leaders.
