'What election in this situation?' asks Jamaat ameer

A free and fair election is not possible under the current climate of rising mob violence and political unrest without comprehensive reforms and the restoration of a conducive environment, Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Shafiqur Rahman has said.

"What kind of election in this situation? What kind of election will it be?" he told reporters at Saidpur Airport before heading to a public rally in Rangpur.

"We must first create the right atmosphere. Mob culture has long existed in this country, but no Jamaat activist is involved in such violence. We have always opposed mob politics since 1972," he said.

Referring to recent incidents of mob killings in Patgram, Lalmonirhat, Shafiqur said the state's failure to uphold the rule of law undermines the integrity of any electoral process, reports UNB.

He urged all political parties to take responsibility for their activists, adding, "Only when political leaders control their own ranks can the state maintain order."

The rally at the Rangpur Zilla School ground marked Jamaat's first major gathering in Rangpur in 17 years. Maulana Abdul Halim, Jamaat's Rangpur-Dinajpur regional director and assistant secretary general, announced candidates for all 33 parliamentary seats in Rangpur division, spanning Rangpur, Kurigram, Gaibandha, Panchagarh, Dinajpur, Thakurgaon, Nilphamari, and Lalmonirhat.

The event was organised by Jamaat's Rangpur metropolitan and district units to press four key demands, including justice for the killings during the July-August uprising and electoral reforms before the next national polls.

The rally drew thousands from across the division. Supporters arrived by rickshaw, auto-rickshaw, and truck, with crowds spilling onto adjacent streets. Security was heightened in Rangpur city, but the event remained peaceful. The rally echoed with calls for establishing Islamic law, ensuring justice, and bringing honest leadership into governance.

Executive Council member and former secretary general ATM Azharul Islam also addressed the rally, making his first public appearance since being acquitted of war crimes charges after 14 years in prison. 

In an emotionally charged speech, he credited slain activist Abu Sayed for his release, according to media reports. "If Abu Sayeed hadn't stood in front of police guns, I wouldn't be free today. If 5 August hadn't happened, I might not be standing here. I, too, would have been hanged."

Calling on the government to swiftly prosecute Abu Sayed's killers, Azharul said, "Justice must not be delayed. The families of those martyred in the July movement are waiting."

He added that although many like him are now free and democracy has found some breathing space, meaningful change is yet to come. "To restore voting rights and democracy, everyone must come forward with patriotism and resolve."

Abu Sayed, a student of Begum Rokeya University, was shot dead by the police on 16 July 2024, in Rangpur while participating in last year's July uprising.

Earlier in the morning, Azharul along with other Jamaat leaders offered prayers at the grave of Abu Sayeed in Babonpur village of Pirganj upazila in Rangpur.