Attempts to Silence Opposition Will Be Resisted: Jamaat Ameer

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer and Opposition Leader Shafiqur Rahman has warned that any attempts to suppress or silence the opposition voice will be strictly resisted. He declared that his party will continue its steadfast struggle until the fundamental rights of the citizens are fully restored.

He made these remarks on Tuesday while addressing a reception ceremony held at the official residence of the opposition leader to honor the release of retired Major Akhtaruzzaman from prison. The Jamaat Ameer praised Akhtaruzzaman’s courageous stance against passenger and expatriate harassment at the airport, noting that global protests and embassy rallies by expatriates following his arrest demonstrated widespread public resentment against the administration.

In his address, retired Major Akhtaruzzaman criticized the government's vindictive approach, stating that implicating a veteran freedom fighter in false cases and creating legal hurdles to deny bail exposes the administration's authoritarian mindset. He emphasized that the citizens of the country will rise up to establish the rule of law if state power continues to be abused.

Akhtaruzzaman was initially arrested in October following an altercation and scuffle regarding severe baggage and trolley shortages at Dhaka's international airport. After a protracted legal battle, he finally secured interim bail from the High Court. The opposition leadership strongly condemned the government's reliance on harassment and suppression to cover up its administrative failures.