Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer and Leader of the Opposition Shafiqur Rahman has expressed concern over the local government elections, alleging that ruling party leaders are threatening to withhold development funds from areas that do not elect their party candidates.
“The signs are not good for the local government elections. In different areas, ruling party people are declaring that no funds will be allocated and no development work will be carried out unless their party candidates are elected,” he said.
He made the remarks while responding to questions from journalists in Chattogram on Tuesday afternoon.
Earlier in the day, Shafiqur attended a training camp for municipality and union-level leaders and a conference of former associates and members at Safa Arcade in Chawkbazar.
The events were organised by Jamaat’s Chattogram city unit.
Speaking to journalists after the conference at Safa Arcade, the Jamaat chief said drugs had devastated society.
Although Parliament had passed a law to control drugs, his party wanted to eliminate the menace entirely, not merely control it, he said.
Asked about Ishraque carrying a firearm, Shafiqur said police personnel were present at the location and that it would have been better if Ishraque had not carried a weapon.
He said Ishraque’s actions could not simply be described as negative. However, he cautioned that a public representative or state minister carrying a firearm in broad daylight, or being attacked with a weapon, could set an example for others.
Even if someone acted with good intentions, others could use the incident to pursue harmful objectives, he added.
Addressing a conference at GEC Convention Centre in Chattogram, Shafiqur said Jamaat had no time to respond to baseless remarks and propaganda.
“Our main task is to solve the real problems of the people,” he said, urging party members to ignore propaganda and work to ease people’s suffering.
Referring to the July uprising, he said students and members of the public had not sacrificed their lives for looters and extortionists.
“People will never accept looting, extortion, injustice and oppression,” he said, adding that those responsible for crimes would have to account for their actions.
He said anyone who oppressed people, deprived them of their rights or withheld what was rightfully theirs would have to face accountability.
Shafiqur said the responsibility of the Islamic movement had to be carried out throughout one’s life.
He alleged that Jamaat members had faced varying degrees of repression and persecution over the past 17 years. He further claimed that 12 senior party leaders had been killed after being subjected to what he described as the most disgraceful accusations of the century.
The leaders had remained steadfast in their faith in one Allah and aspired to build a better Bangladesh, he said.
Referring to public confidence in Jamaat, Shafiqur said people in Bangladesh believed the party would safeguard the trust placed in it. He said the confidence had not emerged overnight.
During the fascist period, many men and women had lost their lives, while others had been left physically disabled, he added.
Urging people to learn from past events, he said no one would escape accountability for wrongdoing. Those who oppressed others, violated their rights or deprived them of what was rightfully theirs would have to answer for their actions.
He also cited the arrest of a former judge near the border as an incident from which people should draw lessons.
Other speakers at the conference included Islami Chhatra Shibir Central President Nurul Islam Saddam; Jamaat Assistant Secretary-General AHM Hamidur Rahman Azad; Assistant Secretary-General Muhammad Shahjahan; Central Executive Council member, Dhaka South city unit Ameer and MP Nurul Islam Bulbul; Dhaka North city unit Ameer Muhammad Selim Uddin; and Central Working Committee member Alhaj Shahjahan Chowdhury.
