Dark clouds still linger over Bangladesh, says Jamaat chief

Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Shafiqur Rahman says that although the Awami League government was toppled by a mass movement, the ‘zulum’ – or injustice – has yet to come to an end.

As such, he urged everyone to unite in the national interest at this time.

“Our nation is very oppressed,” he said. “The injustice of the past 15-and-a-half years is not over. Echoes of it still linger. And now new problems are cropping up.”

“For 15-and-a-half years, dark clouds loomed over our country. Those clouds have not parted. As conscientious citizens, we all feel it. National unity is very necessary at this time. This is not the time for division. This is not the time to look after personal interests. This is not the time to look after party interests. We must realise this and act accordingly.”

The event was organised for the oath-taking ceremony of Md Nurul Islam Bulbul, the newly-elected ameer of the Dhaka Metropolitan South unit of Jamaat.

Shafiqur reiterated his conviction to the cause, saying that Jamaat would be the first to act on matters of unity.

“Ethnic tensions have been oscillating in different parts of the world. Our nation has seen many such ups and downs in the 53 years of its independence too,” he said.

The Jamaat chief said that the ‘July Revolution’ was not his party’s achievement.

“We frankly admit, it is not our achievement. It is not the result of our efforts. Rather, it is the pure mercy of Allah.”