RANGPUR, Jan 24, 2025 (BSS) - Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman has said even after 54 years, the people have not tasted independence.
 
“Thousands of people have been killed like animals during every Awami League regime. Army and BDR have been destroyed. The country has been divided on the basis of religion. The innocents have been oppressed and their wealth has been looted,” he said.
 
Dr Shafiqur Rahman said this while speaking as the chief guest at a street rally, held at Mirbag Degree College ground in Kawnia upazila of Rangpur on Friday night.
 
Although the street rally was called, a large crowd braving the fog and dew like rain rushed there turning the Mirbag Degree College ground into a sea of people.
 
The Jamaat Chief said that the fascist Awami League regime committed three major atrocities against the people of Rangpur.
 
“The previous fascist regime did not prosecute the Felani murder, killed indiscriminately youths, including icon of the students-people uprising Abu Sayeed, and kept the oppressed people's leader ATM Azaharul Islam in prison for 16 long years in the name of trial in a false case,” he said.
 
He warned, “Without making any further delay, immediately return oppressed leader ATM Azaharul Islam to the people. Otherwise, we will be forced to take to the streets.”
 
Dr Shafiqur Rahman said thousands of fresh lives like Abu Sayeed have shed their blood to confront and resist the fascists who oppressed the nation. The nation has seen a procession of corpses across the country and many of them have been martyred or permanently disabled, he added.  
 
“In exchange for their pure sacrifice and lives, the fascist murderers have been driven away. Hundreds of youth have become blind and disabled,” he said.  
 
The Jamaat Ameer said that the struggle to build a discrimination-free society will continue until the cause for which the martyrs of the July-August Revolution sacrificed their lives was achieved.
 
Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Central Assistant Secretary General and Rangpur-Dinajpur Regional Director Moulana Abdul Halim, Central Working Committee Member and Rangpur-Dinajpur Regional Assistant Director Principal Moulana Mamtaz Uddin, Central Working Committee Member and Rangpur-Dinajpur Regional Team Member Professor Mahbubur Rahman Belal were present as special guests at the rally.
 
With Jamaat-e-Islami Kawnia Upazila Ameer Moulana Abdus Salam in the chair, Jamaat-e-Islami Rangpur Metropolitan Ameer Vice-principal Moulana ATM Azam Khan, District Ameer Professor Golam Rabbani, District Secretary Moulana Enamul Haque, General Secretary of the Central Committee of Bangladesh Land Port Workers’ Union and Assistant Regional Director of Bangladesh Workers’ Welfare Federation Rangpur-Dinajpur Region Professor Abul Hashem Badal , District President of the Adarsha Teachers’ Federation Principal Abdul Gani, Jamaat leader Mostaq Ahmed, Pirgachha Upazila Ameer Bazlur Rashid Mukul among others, attended the rally.