Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Shafiqur Rahman said on Tuesday that his party would prioritise job creation over unemployment allowances, describing such doles as “insulting” for the country’s youth.
He made the remarks while speaking as the chief guest at an election rally organised by Jamaat-e-Islami district and city units along with the 11-party alliance at the Circuit House Ground in Mymensingh city at 12:30pm on Tuesday.
Rahman stated that the youth did not sacrifice their lives in the 2024 movement for welfare handouts, but for the right to work and the dream of building the nation.
“We will not offer insulting unemployment allowances to the youth; we will turn the hands of every young man and woman into those of skilled craftsmen,” he said.
Rahman described the upcoming 13th parliamentary election as decisive for the country’s future, saying voters want a break from what he termed old-style politics, extortion, case-trading and corruption.
Alleging that Tk28 lakh crore had been laundered abroad, he said his party would make every effort to recover the money and bring the perpetrators to justice, adding that those looting national wealth cannot be entrusted with leadership.
On social issues, he said women’s safety and dignity must be ensured at workplaces, educational institutions and in public spaces, adding that while begging may be permissible, extortion is not and cannot be treated as a profession.
Turning to the ballot, Rahman said voters would cast two votes—one in the referendum and another for “justice” in the parliamentary election adding that a “Yes” vote stands for freedom while a “No” vote signifies subjugation.
The rally, which ended at 1:20pm amid tight security, was chaired by Mymensingh City Jamaat Ameer Kamrul Ahsan Emrul, with speeches by Central Publicity Secretary Matiur Rahman Akanda, Mymensingh District Ameer Abdul Karim and Naib-e-Ameer Kamrul Hasan Milan.
At the close of the programme, Rahman introduced the 11-party alliance nominees for the 11 parliamentary constituencies in the Mymensingh division.
