Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, which has been cornered for a long time, is not sitting in the changed situation. The party is busy with four-way activities including political, social, diplomatic and organizational. Jamaat wants to be ahead in all aspects through various activities. Jamaat, which has been on the backfoot for more than a decade and a half, has increased its multifaceted activities manifold. According to the party sources, after the recent political change, the leaders and activists of various levels of the grassroots have come out from the center of the party. Jamaat on Wednesday announced 10-point proposals for the interim government with the aim of establishing a welfare state and reforming the state. Where there are important issues like election of the country, law, justice, election of parliament representatives. Diplomatic communication has also been increased. The leaders and activists of the party say that they want to move forward in a united manner with the support of the people of the country.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has decided to hold a mass meeting in the capital under the party banner for the first time after the fall of Sheikh Hasina. The party will hold a public meeting at Dhaka’s historic Suhrawardy Udyan on Monday, October 28 at 2 p.m. Several Jamaat leaders complained that October 28, 2006 was the scheduled day for the orderly and peaceful transfer of power to the four-party coalition government. On that day, Jamaat-e-Islami organized a rally at the North Gate of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque. A peaceful assembly of Jamaat was attacked by armed terrorists of 14-party alliance led by Awami League. Killing people with logi-baitha. Several leaders and activists of Jamaat and Islami Chhatra Shibir died. Jamaat will hold a mass meeting in Dhaka to commemorate the day.
Apart from this, Jamaat-e-Islami has emphasized on developing diplomatic relations with various influential and advanced countries after the political change. Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General and former MP Mia Golam Parwar is visiting Japan as part of organizational work. The previous Awami dictatorship government presented Jamaat-e-Islami as negative to foreigners by always keeping them in a corner. Now after the fall of Sheikh Hasina, Jamaat-e-Islami is focusing on improving relations with diplomats of different countries. In continuation of that, the party has held meetings with the diplomats of several countries including China, South Korea, Iran in the last two months. Among them, ambassadors of China and South Korea posted in Bangladesh recently visited the central office of Jamaat.
It is known that Jamaat-e-Islami took initiative to strengthen the organization all over the country after the 12th National Assembly elections on January 7. Then on August 5, the party accelerated the activities of Sheikh Hasina’s downfall. Rukon (membership) conferences have been held across the country from metropolis to thana, upazila. Jamaat-e-Islami has held training camps for new and advanced workers, meetings of associate members and several meetings of Shura and Executive Councils and special meetings in Central Majlis. These activities are still continuing in different areas. Along with this, the top leaders of the party are encouraging the leaders and workers of Trinamool with important directive statements. After the fall of Sheikh Hasina and Awami League on August 5, some central leaders including Jamaat Secretary General Professor Mia Golam Parwar were released on bail. Now Jamaat-e-Islami is organizing the party through various organizational activities. The incumbent leaders of the party are often involved in organizational activities in some areas. In one word, Jamaat is conducting multifaceted activities to strengthen the party across the country. The leaders and activists of the party are also giving priority to digital media in organizational activities.
Several central leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami told Kalbela that the Awami League started to persecute the leaders and activists of the opposition party including Jamaat after coming to power in the 9th national parliamentary elections on December 29, 2008. In the last 16 years they have not been able to do normal activities. Then, at one stage of the ongoing student movement, the Awami League government banned Jamaat-e-Islami and Islamic student camps through a government notification on August 1. Leaders of the party said that there is no level of torture which has not been applied against Jamaat-Shibir. Despite this, they did not give up. On the contrary, understanding the time and situation, Awami League has been continuously protesting against the government, sometimes singly, sometimes simultaneously.
New Jamaat after August 5:
It is known that in the past negative campaigns against Jamaat have been carried out through various means including the use of state machinery. Last August, Jamaat-e-Islami and Islami Chhatrashibir were banned under the Anti-Terrorism Act due to arson, vandalism and violence in the movement demanding the fall of Sheikh Hasina. But Sheikh Hasina fell on August 5 in a joint coup by the students. After this, the Jamaat-Shibir strongly publicized their activities. They want to present themselves better to the public. In continuation of that, after visiting the grave of Abu Saeed, who was killed by the police during the student movement in Pirganj, Rangpur, on August 7, Jamaat’s Amir Dr. Shafiqur Rahman. Similarly, he visited Dhaka Medical College, Sylhet’s Biyanibazar and other places to see the victims of the student movement. At the end of last August, Jamaat carried out extensive relief activities in Feni, Noakhali, Lakshmipur and Comilla despite the severe floods. Apart from that, the party has given huge cash assistance to the families of the victims of the anti-discrimination student movement.
Those concerned said that the organization wants to turn around organizationally by increasing involvement with the people through these positive activities. Especially after the fall of Sheikh Hasina and her government, a terrible situation including arson and vandalism was created across the country. An opportunistic cycle systematically takes advantage of this. In various places, political conflicts and robberies rose to the fore. Incidents of vandalism, arson, and looting also occurred in Hindu temples and places of worship. Jamaat took various initiatives to prevent these anarchy, restore peace to the public and normalize the law and order situation. In addition to searching for the injured in the student movement and guarding the temple, miking, peace rally, discussion meeting, distribution of leaflets, formation of violence prevention committee and other programs are carried out for public awareness to maintain peace and order. Jamaat leaders and activists even guarded places of worship of different religions in different alleys of Dhaka and in different parts of the country to prevent robbery. The team is doing various service activities including distribution of food, water and lunch among the students controlling traffic in some important areas of Dhaka city. Besides, awareness campaigns and mass communication activities are being carried out to bring relief to the panic-stricken citizens. At the same time, Islami Chhatra Shibir also conducts various voluntary activities like guarding Hindu temples, cleaning cities across the country.
28th October Mass in Dhaka:
For the first time since the fall of Sheikh Hasina, Jamaat-e-Islami has decided to hold a general meeting in the capital under the party banner. The party will hold a public meeting at Dhaka’s historic Suhrawardy Udyan on Monday, October 28 at 2 p.m. In this regard, Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Mia Ghulam Parwar said, October 28 is a difficult and painful day for us. On the order of Sheikh Hasina, the killings took place that day. Many people were killed and many injured. He ordered people to be killed with logi-vaitha. There is a lot of evidence. The politics of killing the fascist Sheikh Hasina and suppressing the opposition started from that day. Sheikh Hasina is responsible for all political killings since then. Danced standing on the dead body. Although we filed a case, the court rejected it due to the pressure of the state apparatus. As a result, we want to present that memory to the people. People should not forget the memory of that murder. Brutal brutality should not be forgotten by people. The program will be held on October 28 to create awareness for people to raise their voice against fascism and say goodbye to murderous politics.
Emphasis on developing diplomatic relations:
After the political change, Jamaat-e-Islami emphasized on developing diplomatic relations with various influential and developed countries. Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General and former MP Mia Golam Parwar is visiting Japan as part of organizational work. It is said that he will soon return home and go on another organizational visit to Turkey. Three Naib Emirs and two Assistant Secretary Generals of Jamaat recently told Kalbela that they have not been able to conduct normal activities for 16 years. Where it was difficult to carry out political activities, it was even more difficult to communicate openly with diplomats. As a result, the previous Awami dictatorship government presented Jamaat-e-Islami as negative to foreigners by always keeping them in a corner. Now after the fall of Sheikh Hasina, Jamaat-e-Islami is focusing on improving relations with diplomats of different countries. In continuation of that, the party has met with the diplomats of several countries including China, South Korea, Iran in the last two months. Among them, ambassadors of China and South Korea posted in Bangladesh recently visited the central office of Jamaat.
Jamaat’s Central Secretary General Mia Golam Parwar told Kalbela on Thursday yesterday that we are doing our organizational work. Going to the people politically, telling the situation of the country. We are doing planned activities. Marches, meetings, organization expansion, improving the quality of our manpower, making the people aware and helping to create a fair election environment for nation building – these are our political activities.
He said, we have announced 10-point ‘state reform proposal’ thinking it will be beneficial for the nation. Such a declaration by Jamaat-e-Islami is a historic event. The people will tell us how beautiful this proposal is? That’s why time is needed. We are communicating our reform program to the people.
Regarding diplomatic relations, Mia Golam Parwar said, we are trying. Because we were not given any space during the last fascist regime. No diplomatic person was allowed in our office. The office was kept closed, no access allowed anywhere. The leaders were not safe. Now in the changing political situation we have various steps including our program to take Jamaat-e-Islami to the world wide diplomats. Informing our diplomats about various issues. Jamaat wants to establish Bangladesh as a welfare state, its constructive systematic program. Contacting diplomats, they are also coming to us. There is regular communication between the country and abroad. Diplomats are very impressed, satisfied with Jamaat’s aims, objectives and activities in building the country. They expect a lot from Jamaat.
