Jamaat Chief Says Current Government Following Path of Previous Regime

Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Shafiqur Rahman has accused Bangladesh’s current government of following the same path as the previous government, warning that its actions could eventually lead to its downfall.

“We have said that our movement is not aimed at removing the government. But if someone acts in a way that leads to their departure, what can we do? The current government is walking that very path,” he said.

Shafiqur Rahman made the remarks at the concluding rally of an 11-party alliance’s long march at Laldighi Maidan in Chattogram on Saturday night.

He criticized the government over the appointment of administrators in various areas, saying political representatives rather than appointed officials should run the country.

He referred to the 31-point agenda announced by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) ahead of the election, which, he said, pledged that elected representatives would govern at all levels of society.

“But now, party people are being placed in different positions through the appointment of administrators,” he said.

Referring to the mayor of Chattogram, Shafiqur Rahman said the mayor’s term had expired but alleged that the incumbent was being allowed to remain in office indefinitely.

“Is this democracy or fascism?” he asked.

Questions Over Referendum Pledge

The Jamaat chief also questioned whether the BNP had fulfilled its commitments regarding a referendum.

He said all political parties, including the government, had urged voters before the election to vote “Yes” in the referendum and had pledged to implement the outcome if the “Yes” vote prevailed.

“But six months have passed since the election. Has the BNP kept its word?” he asked.

Oli Ahmed Warns Government May Not Survive

Presiding over the rally, Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) President Col. (retd.) Oli Ahmed said people had rarely questioned the survival of a government within just a few months of it taking office.

“In the past, many governments have come to power, but within six months or even two months, people did not raise questions about whether the government would survive. Now, however, everyone is saying the same thing—the government will not survive,” he said.

Oli Ahmed claimed that the 11-party alliance was the only political grouping capable of providing good governance.

He alleged that those currently in power had previously been in government and criticized their record on corruption and loan defaults.

Oli Ahmed further alleged that India, government officials, Muhammad Yunus and the BNP had conspired to keep the 11-party alliance out of power.

He claimed that if the alliance came to power, corruption, looting, extortion, land grabbing and violence against women would not be tolerated.

He also criticized the BNP's employment pledge, alleging that while the party had promised to create 100,000 jobs within six months of taking office, the opposite had happened.

“Instead, 100,000 people have become unemployed in six months,” he claimed.

Oli Ahmed also warned that excessive flattery could ultimately undermine the prime minister, saying the 11-party alliance would not be responsible for his downfall.

Mamunul Haque Warns of Fresh Street Movement

Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis Ameer Mamunul Haque said Bangladesh’s Liberation War followed the rejection of the people’s electoral mandate in 1970 and warned that people could again take to the streets if the outcome of the referendum was not implemented.

“The referendum was not a game to fool the people. It was a commitment,” he said.

According to Mamunul, both the BNP and the 11-party alliance had made that commitment to the people. He criticized remarks by a BNP spokesperson in parliament suggesting that the party had not genuinely accepted the referendum.

Nahid Islam Calls for Dialogue

National Citizen Party (NCP) Convener Nahid Islam also criticized Prime Minister Tarique Rahman over the government’s handling of problems inherited from the previous regime.

He said that if the government could not resolve those problems, it should acknowledge that reality to the public and admit that it could not solve them alone.

“Accept that you do not have a proper plan to lead the country. Then hold discussions with the opposition,” Nahid said.

Addressing the prime minister, he said, “You cannot run this country alone if you do not have the opposition’s support. Accept this reality.”

Nahid also accused the prime minister of reducing his own participation in parliamentary debates and criticized the decision to assign responsibility to Salauddin Ahmed.

He warned the prime minister against repeating what he described as mistakes made by his father and urged him not to allow the previous authoritarian forces to return.

Nahid further alleged that the government was betraying the mass uprising by refusing to accept and implement the people’s verdict in the referendum.