People Will Never Let Awami League Do Politics Again, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed Says in Fatikchhari
Chattogram: Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed has said the people of the country will never again allow the autocratic and genocidal Awami League to do politics.
He made the remark as chief guest on the closing day of the 104th annual religious conference of Al-Jamiatul Islamia Azizul Ulum Babunagar Madrasa in Fatikchhari, Chattogram, on Friday (November 6) afternoon.
The home minister said that before and during the movement ahead of the important post-fascism election, Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh, despite being a non-political organisation, kept up its protest for religion, for the country and against the fascist, Islam-hating illegal government, led by Amir-e-Hefazat Maulana Mohibullah Babunagari and, before him, Allama Junaid Babunagari.
He said it took 23 years to achieve Bangladesh's independence, and 16 to 17 years to free the people from the fascist and Islam-hating government. Scholars gave their blood, and how many scholars and students were martyred is still not fully known, nor are the addresses of many of their graves.
Salahuddin Ahmed said that during the July-August mass uprising alone, 1,400 people were martyred according to United Nations figures. In the preceding 16 to 17 years, about 3,000 people were forcibly disappeared, himself among them, about 7,000 people were killed or tortured in various ways, and hundreds of thousands were persecuted through attacks and cases.
He asked whether, after all this, a return of those fascists could be wanted, and alleged that the fascist forces are behind those trying to create unrest in the garment sector.
The home minister also alleged that some forces do politics by selling the name of Islam while their election manifesto contains nothing about Islam. He claimed the party that calls itself Islamic has never said in its manifesto that it wants Islamic rule or Sharia-based law, and has instead taken a position against Sharia-based rule.
He said his party believes in Islamic values, added Bismillah and recited the Quran, and established the nationalist Islamic-values politics of martyred President Ziaur Rahman, building a united Bangladesh of all communities where everyone has one national identity.
On the July Charter, Salahuddin Ahmed said the charter drawn up through long discussions in line with the expectations of the student uprising will be implemented, and beyond it all elements of Islamic values will be incorporated into the constitution. He said the trust and faith in Almighty Allah that fascist Sheikh Hasina removed from the principles of state policy will be restored in the preamble and the principles of the constitution.
Addressing protesters, he said criticism must be constructive: the government can be cooperated with, but not cooperation against the people of the country.
On development, the home minister said the country will be kept united while pursuing economic development, export growth and job creation, and work will be done to improve everyone's economic condition and the living standards of scholars and Qawmi madrasa students.
The conference, chaired by the madrasa's director general and Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh amir Allama Shah Mohibullah Babunagari, was attended by State Minister for Religious Affairs Mohammad Shamim Kayser Lincoln as special guest, along with Chattogram-2 MP Sarwar Alamgir, Rauzan MP Gias Uddin Quader Chowdhury, Rangunia MP Hummam Quader Chowdhury, Chattogram Deputy Commissioner Zahidul Islam Mia and District Police Superintendent Masud Alam, as well as leading scholars and local dignitaries.
