Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer and Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, Shafiqur Rahman, stated on Saturday that Bangladesh is failing to remain free from international influence. He asserted that a heavy reliance on foreign debt and aid is preventing the nation from standing upright with its head held high.
Speaking as the chief guest at a seminar titled ‘Impact of World Energy Crisis on Bangladesh Agriculture: Ways to Overcome’, held at the Krishibid Institution in Farmgate, Shafiqur remarked that society is currently functioning through “makeshift arrangements”.
“We are not learning any lessons from the past,” he cautioned. “Remember, sin does not spare even its father”.
Criticising the government’s rhetoric regarding the energy sector, the Opposition Leader noted that while official statements suggest the country is “floating on oil,” the reality is a severe crisis driven by political syndicates.
Emphasising the importance of the primary sector, Ameer said, “We must not forget that if agriculture survives, the country survives.” He urged for the restoration of rights within society, suggesting that if every individual performs their duties out of the fear of Allah, the nation will find its liberation.
He highlighted that fuel is the essential “wheel” of the economy. He noted that while Bangladesh remains heavily dependent on imports from the Middle East, the country possesses 50 percent self-sufficiency specifically in the production of petrol and octane.
He lamented the lack of initiative to extract indigenous resources, stating, “Allah has bestowed us with boundless resources, but we are failing to utilise them. We lack the necessary experts, and there are no initiatives to ensure we can extract our own wealth”.
Jamaat Ameer stressed the urgent need to amend several ordinances passed by the previous government. He specifically called for the establishment of an independent Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), arguing that the current trajectory suggests an intention to run the country in the same manner as before.
In a somber reflection on the national cost of the current political climate, he questioned who would take responsibility for the lives lost, the individuals permanently crippled, and the families—mothers, sisters, and children—left destitute. “Politicians must answer for this,” he declared.
The discussion was presided over by Agriculturist ATM Mahbub-e-Ilahi (Tawhid), President of the AFB. Other notable attendees included Agriculturist Sheikh Muhammad Masud, General Secretary of the AFB, alongside various levels of leaders and activists from the organisation.
