'Nahid will be in plane's cockpit with alliance leaders behind him': Shafiqur pledges ministerial role for NCP leader
Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Shafiqur Rahman has said if his party wins the upcoming national election and is able to form the government, National Citizen Party (NCP) Convener Nahid Islam will be made a minister.
"Nahid will be in the cockpit of the plane, while the alliance leaders will be at the back. The Jamaat-led alliance will not make any false promises. It will build the country with what it actually has," he said today (8 February) at the DIT Project playground in Badda in the capital.
Speaking as chief guest at the election rally, Shafiqur extended his support to Nahid, also the 11-party alliance nominated candidate for Dhaka-11.
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Bangladesh Khilafat-e-Majlis Ameer Maulana Mamunul Haque also addressed the rally, chaired by the NCP convener.
Shafiqur Rahman noted that he wants to place the responsibility for Bangladesh's future in the hands of the youth.
"We do not want to give unemployment allowances. The young people who took part in the [2024] July movement never demanded such benefits. Their demand was for rights and fair opportunities for work. The youth took to the streets and said, 'Give us our rights, hand over to us our rightful work'," he said today (8 February) at the DIT Project playground in Badda in the capital.
Speaking as chief guest at the election rally, Shafiqur extended his support to Nahid Islam, convener of National Citizen Party (NCP) and 11-party alliance nominated candidate for Dhaka-11.
Bangladesh Khilafat-e-Majlis Ameer Maulana Mamunul Haque also addressed the rally, chaired by the NCP convener.
The Jamaat chief also said the people will reject corrupt politicians, extortionists, serial litigants and land grabbers in the election.
"We humbly requested, you were oppressed, so do not become oppressors. Those who have suffered oppression should understand that pain. But instead, we are seeing extortion, land grabbing and case-mongering begin at a reckless pace."
Referring to the ruling Awami League, Shafiqur said the suffering inflicted on the people through various misdeeds over a long period has begun again in a similar manner since August 2024.
Alleging that murder cases are being filed against business owners to demand crores of taka, he said those who were not on the country's soil for the past one and a half decades and had fled to safe shelters have returned and are now engaging in "case trading".
Such misdeeds have not stopped since August 2024, he said, adding that ordinary people, business owners and even the homeless are falling victim to extortion.
"Is this what we fought for in July, holding our children close to our chests? The movement was not meant to replace old extortionists with new ones," he said, noting that the youth aspired to establish justice across society.
Stressing that establishing justice is the goal, the Jamaat ameer said in a new Bangladesh, justice will not vary from person to person.
"If an ordinary citizen commits a crime, they will face justice; if the prime minister commits the same crime, they too will not be spared."
He also questioned the nomination of loan defaulters. "Why have 59 notorious loan defaulters and bank looters been given nominations? Hearing that corruption will be curbed by making them MPs makes one laugh," he said.
He added that if Jamaat comes to power, they will clamp down on corruption and that such an initiative must begin within one's own household.
Shafiqur Rahman also pledged at the rally that if they come to power, they will wage an all-out fight to bring back public money siphoned off abroad.
