Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Shafiqur Rahman said women’s safety cannot be ensured while incidents of abuse continue, arguing that violence against women and welfare cards cannot go together.
“On one hand, women are assaulted; on the other, family cards are handed to them—these two cannot go together” Shafiqur Rahman said.
“If mothers and sisters are not safe today, it is easy to understand what kind of future awaits them,” he added.
He made these remarks on Tuesday morning while addressing the district Jamaat’s election rally at the Eidgah grounds in Jashore.
He further said that if Jamaat-e-Islami gets the opportunity to run the state with public support, the party will take effective initiatives to address unemployment. The population will be turned into human resources, he added.
“We will not hand out unemployment allowances. Instead, we will ensure employment and make people economically self-reliant through planned initiatives,” he said.
Shafiqur Rahman said July fighters and martyrs of the July movement will be honoured with due respect.
He said Jamaat-e-Islami had remained active on the streets against extortionists, corrupt elements, looters and land grabbers in the past and would continue to do so in the future without any change in stance.
Calling on voters to support the ‘Yes’ vote in favour of reform and a new state in the election scheduled for the 12 February, he said Jamaat had supported reforms before and continued to do so.
“We want to rebuild the country in the light of the July revolution. The future Bangladesh will belong to the youth,” he said.
Referring to the party symbol, the scale, he said Jamaat would not tilt the balance and would ensure everyone receives what is rightfully due.
The rally was presided over by Jashore district Jamaat ameer Golam Rasul. Special guests included Jamaat secretary general Mia Golam Parwar and Islami Chhatra Shibir central president Nurul Islam.
Among others who addressed the rally were central executive council member Mobarak Hossain, central working committee member and Jashore-1 candidate Maulana Azizur Rahman, Jashore 2 candidate Dr Mosleh Uddin Farid, regional team member Dr Alamgir Biswas, Narail district Ameer Ataur Rahman Bachchu, Magura district Ameer M B Baker, senior lawyer and Jashore 5 candidate Advocate Gazi Enamul Haque, Jashore 3 candidate Abdul Qader, Jashore 6 candidate Professor Muktar Ali, Maulana Habibur Rahman, Jashore district secretary Principal Abu Jafar Siddique, assistant secretaries Professor Golam Quddus and Professor Monirul Islam, martyr Abdullah’s father Abdul Jabbar, Khilafat Majlish Jashore district president Maulana Abdullah, NCP south region organiser Sakib Shahriar, Bangladesh Khilafat Majlish district secretary Maulana Masum Billah, NCP central member Khalid Saifullah Jewel, NCP district chief coordinator Nuruzzaman, Khilafat Majlish district vice president Hafez Maulana Asheq Elahi, Anti Discrimination Student Movement Jashore district chief coordinator Amanullah Aman and Islami Chhatra Shibir Jashore city unit president AHM Shamim.
After the rally, Shafiqur Rahman formally introduced Jamaat’s six parliamentary candidates for the six Jashore constituencies by handing over the party’s scale symbol.
