The Ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Dr Shafiqur Rahman said that a sustainable and peaceful society cannot be established without the law of Allah.
"Therefore, both workers and employers must come forward hand in hand to build a society based on Islamic principles," he remarked at a workers' rally organized on the occasion of International Labour Day on Thursday in Purana Paltan.
The Jamaat ameer said: “There are often allegations of worker abuse against employers. We do not want conflict between owners and workers. We want the employers to understand that the survival of our industries depends on the well-being of workers. At the same time, workers must realize that their well-being is tied to the survival of employers and entrepreneurs.
"If workplaces are destroyed, there will be no grounds to make demands. So both parties have responsibilities.”
He added: “A compassionate society must be built through cooperation between workers and employers. About 70% of Bangladesh’s population are working-class people. No society can progress by neglecting this vast population. A sustainable society based on mutual respect and understanding is not possible without Allah’s law.
"A worker cannot make a living with the wage earned from an 8-hour workday, forcing them to seek alternative sources of income. We want to end this inhumane condition.”
He also called for prayer facilities for women alongside men in factories.
Addressing women, Shafiqur said: “If Jamaat comes to power, work opportunities will be created for women according to their preferences.”
At the same rally, Jamaat's Nayeb-e-Ameer, Professor Mujibur Rahman said: “We want to implement Islamic labor policies by enforcing Islamic law. On August 5, the slogan was ‘We Want Justice.’ But justice is not possible without establishing Islam. In the past 54 years, man-made laws have failed to establish people’s rights.”
He urged people to send representatives with Islamic ideals to the parliament in the upcoming election.
