AL has no moral right to engage in politics: Jamaat amir

Jamaat-e-Islami amir Dr Shafiqur Rahman has said that the Awami League has no moral right to engage in politics in Bangladesh. He questioned, “Who would they seek votes from, those who once waged war against the nation? They have no moral standing.”

He made these remarks on Monday at a discussion and doa mahfil organised by Dhaka City South Jamaat to commemorate those killed on October 28, 2006, held at the Institution of Engineers in the capital.

Shafiqur Rahman stated, "Awami League turned the country into a living hell. Now, that same Awami League is trying to hold its head high. In 1996, they begged forgiveness unconditionally for past wrongdoings, pleading for one chance to demonstrate patriotism. The people gave them that chance, and they repaid it with bodies."

He continued, "Their party leader had declared that if one of their party members was killed, they would retaliate with ten bodies. Shockingly, the nation's chief executive openly called for such bloodshed without trial. This time, though, she didn't make the call publicly, but she acted on it, burning innocent people's bodies with petrol to exact revenge on the nation."

Shafiqur Rahman remarked, “A good person doesn’t flee. Apparently, the autocrat Sheikh Hasina and her party faced the consequences of their actions on August 5, 2024. She has fled the country, and her associates are attempting to escape as well. Some managed to flee secretly, while others were caught. For any political leader, it would have been better to face death than to flee. 

He added, “They (Awami League) have judged themselves for their wrongdoings, and the nation is now eagerly awaiting the rest. This government won’t be able to complete all trials, but they must begin the process of holding fascists accountable, starting with justice for the brutal killings of October 28, the day that politics lost its way in the aftermath of the violence, marking the death of humanity.”

He also urged other political parties to heed the desires of the anti-fascist public when conducting politics, saying, “We must all remain vigilant. We do not want any division on matters of national crisis and interests.”

At this time, Shafiqur Rahman called on journalists to distinguish truth from falsehood, urging them to call “white as white and black as black.”