Jamaat-e-Islami’s Amir, Dr Shafiqur Rahman, has called for the swift trial of those responsible for the July-August massacre under the laws enacted by the Awami League.
Speaking as the chief guest at the Dhaka City North Annual Member Conference held at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Center on Sunday (October 13), he emphasised that justice should be sought without delay.
Shafiqur said, "For 17 and a half years, this nation has endured relentless oppression, with the majority of the people suffering except for a handful of wrongdoers."
Reflecting on the events of October 28, 2006, Shafiqur said that day marked a dark turn for the country, with democracy and the aspirations of the people being crushed. "They danced on the bodies of those killed that day, trying to steal the corpses. The victims did nothing but attend Jamaat-e-Islami meetings," he said, recalling the violence.
He further accused the AL of using a rigged election to rise to power, claiming that they ruled for 15 and a half years, during which they committed numerous atrocities. He cited the killing of 57 vigilante officers of Bangladesh Rifles and the suppression of their families, whose loved ones' bodies were found in drains.
Shafiqur also linked the Awami League to the BDR rebellion, saying he spoke with a prisoner involved in the incident who confirmed their involvement.
The conference, chaired by Mohammad Salim Uddin, Amir of Dhaka City North unit of Jamaat, featured several prominent speakers from Jamaat-e-Islami’s leadership. Among them were Naib Amir and former MP Professor Mujibur Rahman, Assistant Secretary General Maulana Rafiqul Islam Khan, and others.
Remembering the agitation and its aftermath
During his speech, Shafiqur questioned the fate of those who, during the student movement, had threatened a crackdown similar to the one on May 5, 2013. He said, "Those who wanted to clear the agitators—where are they today? They cannot even show their faces in public."
He criticised the government for suppressing the opposition, claiming that they "played on a one-sided field" and arranged biased events, such as at Shahbagh, where substantial sums of money were allegedly spent.
Shafiqur also condemned the crackdown on Hefazat-e-Islam, a non-political group, stating that the exact number of casualties remains unknown. He accused the government of downplaying the deaths, with conflicting reports of the death toll.
Four days before their August victory, Shafiqur noted, an AL government figure threatened another violent crackdown. However, Shafiqur declared, "We made it clear they wouldn’t last a week in power after such statements. Now, those who once issued threats have disappeared, unable to face the people."
Shafiqur his speech by warning against arrogance, stating, "Do not be proud. Allah does not like arrogance."