Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Shafiqur Rahman has said that the party wants to a country where even the child of a rickshaw-puller can become the prime minister, slamming legacy-based politics.
He made the remark at an election rally in Cox’s Bazar on Monday afternoon. The rally was organised at the Bir Muktijoddha Field (Gol Chattar Math) in the Baharchhara area of Cox’s Bazar city.
“We oppose the kind of politics where the king’s son shall be king. Whoever has the competence should become the servant of this country, this is what we want to see,” the Jamaat ameer said. “We pray to Allah that the talented child of a rickshaw-puller may also become the country’s prime minister in the days to come. This is the kind of country we want to build.”
On a separate note, Shafiqur Rahman said, “There is no mercy, no pardon for the killers of Abu Saeed, Abrar, and Sharif Osman Hadi. The killers must be tried. This is what justice demands.”
Shafiqur Islam said, “This election will be an election to change the direction of the nation, an election to fulfill the aspirations of the July heroes. An election to build a safe Bangladesh for mothers and sisters, this election is to unfold the dreams of children, this election is to bid farewell, to show the red card to the rotten, termite-infested politics of the last 54 years that has given birth to fascism time and again.”
He said, “From February 13 onward, the people will get a new Bangladesh. On that day, we will honour our mothers by holding them aloft, Insha’Allah. Their full security will be ensured at home, workplace, and everywhere. For that reason, we have said, the government will bear the educational expenses for girls up to the master’s level.”
Referring to BNP’s promised unemployment allowance, he said, “The July fighters who took to the streets did not say, ‘Give us unemployment allowance.’ They said, ‘Give us work. Give me my rightful job in my hands.’ This was their demand. ‘Give me what I deserve based on my competence.'”
Hinting at one of the parties contesting in the polls, he said, “Loan defaulters under your arm, you think you will make Bangladesh corruption-free?” Even an owl will laugh hearing this.”
Highlighting the potential of Cox’s Bazar, he said, “Why couldn’t this Cox’s Bazar become Hong Kong until now, why couldn’t it become Shanghai? Why couldn’t it become Singapore? It didn’t happen because of dishonest, corrupt plunderers and bank robbers.”
He also announced the establishment of a public university in Cox’s Bazar.
The rally was presided over by Jamaat-nominated candidate for Cox’s Bazar-4 (Ukhia-Teknaf) constituency and the party’s Cox’s Bazar District Amir, Maulana Nur Ahmed Anwari. As guests, speeches were given by the Joint Member Secretary of the National Citizen’s Party, Mahmuda Mitu, Dhaka University Central Students’ Union General Secretary (GS) SM Farhad, Jamaat candidate for Cox’s Bazar-1 (Chakaria-Pekua) constituency Abdullah Al Faruq, Jamaat candidate for Cox’s Bazar-3 (Sadar-Ramu-Eidgaon) constituency Shahidul Alam Bahadur (VP Bahadur), along with central and district-level leaders of the 11-party alliance.
Jamaat-e-Islami claims that over five lakh people gathered at the election rally in Cox’s Bazar.
