Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman said, "Those who love and care for their country can never flee. Patriots do not abandon their homeland. The previous government killed 11 prominent leaders of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami—one by one. They executed them through judicial processes. None of these 11 leaders tried to escape from Bangladesh because patriots do not flee their country."
He made these remarks as the chief guest at a roadside rally organized by Birganj Upazila Jamaat-e-Islami at the Birganj Government College ground in Dinajpur on Monday at 11 a.m.
Highlighting the significance of August 5 as a day of freedom and liberation for the people of Bangladesh, Dr. Shafiqur Rahman said, "Earlier, people were afraid to speak out. Even a small statement could bring horror into their lives. But now, people have gained the freedom to express themselves."
He further added, "Those who governed the country in the past failed to protect the public's trust(‘Amanat’). They exploited public resources, embezzled funds, looted wealth, and smuggled money abroad. Over the last 16 and a half years, approximately tk 26 lakh crore has been smuggled out of Bangladesh."
Dr. Shafiqur Rahman emphasized, "For generations, we have lived side by side in communal harmony. Yet, some occasionally provoke communal tensions to tarnish Bangladesh's beauty. They try to divide the country into minorities and majorities, pitting communities against each other. We reject such divisions. To us, we are all citizens of this country."
Expressing gratitude to the Chief Adviser, he said, “We appreciate the decision to include 17-year-olds as voters. We endured 15 years of repression in politics but failed to overthrow the autocratic government. However, our young students led movements that toppled the autocratic government. We supported their movements, but they were at the forefront. Since they have proven their ability to bring about freedom at the cost of their lives, we want to entrust them with the responsibility of building this nation."
bd-pratidin/Rafid
