Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer and Leader of the Opposition Shafiqur Rahman has categorically denied that the interim government held any discussions with his party regarding a potential agreement with the United States.
Speaking as the chief guest at a citizen gathering (Sudhi Samabesh) at the Shilpakala Academy auditorium on Friday evening, Shafiqur Rahman clarified his party’s position following remarks by two government advisors.
“I am saying this with full responsibility- the government has not uttered a single word to us regarding a deal with America,” he stated, reiterating that this remains the party’s firm stance.
The Jamaat Ameer also addressed regional water rights, asserting that the party would not accept the Padma Barrage project as a substitute for the Teesta Master Plan.
While welcoming the Padma Bridge initiative, he insisted that the Teesta River must receive its rightful share and that the “Teesta Mega Plan” must be implemented. Shafiqur Rahman noted that he had already stated this clearly within Parliament.
Regarding reports of communal incidents in West Bengal and elsewhere, the Jamaat leader issued a stern condemnation.
He remarked that no constitution or individual in the world has the right to attack someone based solely on their religious identity.
“If anyone does this, it is an act of oppression against humanity, and our position against it is clear,” he said.
Articulating the party’s broader goals, Shafiqur Rahman stated that Jamaat-e-Islami seeks the “liberation and improvement of the entire nation” rather than just the party itself, aiming to build a “justice-based state”.
He further criticised the government for ignoring a referendum in which 70 per cent of the people reportedly voted in favour. He vowed that the party would continue its struggle both inside and outside Parliament to ensure the public’s mandate is respected, expressing confidence that the referendum’s result would eventually be implemented in Bangladesh.
During the gathering, Shafiqur Rahman officially announced ATM Azam Khan, the Metropolitan Jamaat Ameer, as the party’s candidate for the Rangpur City Corporation mayor’s office.
Earlier in the day, while addressing a conference of local unit leaders at Model College, the Jamaat ameer issued a cautionary message to party members.
He warned that as Jamaat is now viewed as a “contender for power,” leaders are under intense scrutiny-or “searchlights”-from both Allah and the public.
“You are wearing white clothes; even a small stain will be highly visible,” he cautioned, emphasising that establishing “Allah’s Deen” is impossible without first winning the love, trust, and support of the people through exemplary conduct.
Shafiqur Rahman arrived in Rangpur at 9am for a one-day visit, where he was accorded a Guard of Honour at the Circuit House before attending various programmes hosted by Jamaat and Shibir.
He was accompanied by senior party figures, including Rangpur-Dinajpur regional director Maulana Abdul Halim, assistant director Maulana Momtaz Uddin, and Members of Parliament Mahbur Rahman Belal and Raihan Siraji.
Representatives from an 11-party alliance also attended the evening gathering
