Latest news with #Jamaat-e-Islami


Indian Express
5 hours ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Bangladesh's Jamaat-e-Islami projects force with a big rally in Dhaka
Hundreds of thousands of supporters of Bangladesh's largest Islamist party rallied in the capital on Saturday to show their strength before an election expected next year, as the nation stands at a crossroads after the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. An interim government headed by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus said that the next election would be held in April. But his administration didn't rule out a possibility of polls in February, which has been strongly demanded by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and its allies. Jamaat-e-Islami, which had sided with Pakistan during Bangladesh's war of independence in 1971, had said that it would mobilize 1 million people on Saturday. While Hasina was in power from 2009 until she was toppled in student-led protests last year and fled to India, top leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami were either executed or jailed on charges of crimes against humanity and other serious crimes in 1971. In late March 1971, Pakistan's military had launched a violent crackdown on the city of Dhaka, which was then part of East Pakistan, to quell a rising nationalist movement seeking independence for what is today known as Bangladesh. The party on Saturday placed a seven-point demand on the Yunus-led administration to ensure a free, fair and peaceful election; justice for all mass killings; essential reforms and the proclamation and implementation of a charter involving last year's mass uprising. It also wants the introduction of a proportional representation system in the election. Thousands of supporters of Jamaat-e-Islami had spent the night on the Dhaka University campus before the rally. On Saturday morning, they continued to stream toward Suhrawardy Udyan, a historical site where the Pakistani army had surrendered to a joint force of India and Bangladesh on Dec. 16, 1971, ending the nine-month war. 'We are here for a new Bangladesh, where Islam would be the guiding principle of governance, where good and honest people will rule the country, and there will be no corruption,' Iqbal Hossain, 40, told The Associated Press. 'We will sacrifice our lives, if necessary, for this cause.' Many young supporters in their 20s and 30s were also present. 'Under Jamaat-e-Islami, this country will have no discrimination. All people will have their rights. Because we follow the path of the holy book, Quran,' said Mohidul Morsalin Sayem, a 20-year-old student. 'If all the Islamist parties join hands soon, nobody will be able to take power from us.' The party's chief, Shafiqur Rahman, said that the struggle in 2024 was to eliminate 'fascism' from the country, but this time there will be another fight against corruption and extortion. Rahman, 66, fainted twice as he addressed his supporters, but quickly returned to continue to speak surrounded by other leaders on the stage. 'How will the future Bangladesh look like? There will be another fight … We will do whatever is necessary and win that fight (against corruption) collectively by uniting the strength of the youth to eliminate corruption,' Rahman said. It wasn't immediately clear why he fainted. He was later taken to a hospital for tests. The event was the first time that the party was allowed to hold a rally at the site since 1971. To many, the decision signaled a shift supported by Yunus' government in which Islamists are gaining momentum with further fragmentation of Bangladesh's politics and the shrinking of liberal forces. Hasina's Awami League party, in a statement on X, reacted sharply for allowing it to hold the rally on that politically sensitive site. It said that the move 'marks a stark betrayal with the national conscience and constitutes a brazen act of undermining millions of people — dead and alive — who fought against the evil axis (in 1971),' the statement said. Hasina, whose father was the independence leader and the country's first president, is a fierce political rival of Jamaat-e-Islami. The party is expected to contest 300 parliamentary seats and is attempting to forge alliances with other Islamist groups and parties in hopes of becoming a third force in the country behind the BNP, headed by former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, and Hasina's former ruling Awami League party. The party had previously shared power with the BNP, and it had two senior Cabinet members under Zia in 2001-2006. After Hasina was ousted, tensions grew between parties over reforms agenda undertaken by the Yunus government, which is facing challenges to establish order in the country. The government has been criticized by Hasina's party and others for using force in a confrontation with protesters in a Hasina stronghold on Wednesday, where four people died. Their families complained that authorities didn't conduct autopsies and hurriedly buried or cremated their relatives. Yunus' office said that the government was doing everything lawfully in Gopalganj, the district where the violence occurred. Jamaat-e-Islami has now established close ties with a new political party formed by students who led the anti-Hasina uprising. Both Jamaat-e-Islami and the students' National Citizen Party also promote an anti-India campaign. The Yunus-led administration has banned the Awami League, and Hasina has been in exile in India since Aug. 5. She is facing charges of crimes against humanity. The United Nations said in February that up to 1,400 people may have been killed during the anti-Hasina uprising in July-August last year.


Express Tribune
6 hours ago
- Politics
- Express Tribune
JI demands BD electoral overhaul
Jamaat-e-Islami party leaders and activists wave Bangladesh's national flag during a rally in Dhaka. Photo: AFP Hundreds of thousands of supporters of Bangladesh's Jamaat-e-Islami rallied on Saturday, demanding an overhaul of the electoral system as the country gears up for polls next year. The party has gained significant momentum since the ousting of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in a popular uprising last year. During her tenure, Hasina took a hardline stance against Jamaat, even cancelling its registration as a political party. For decades, Jamaat was barred from holding public rallies. Last month, the Supreme Court restored the party's registration, paving the way for its participation in elections slated for next April. "We have suffered a lot in the last 15 years. We went to jail, we were robbed of our political rights," Mohammad Abdul Mannan, a 29-year-old party activist, told AFP. Demonstrators braving the sweltering heat in the capital demanded changes to the distribution of seats, calling for proportional representation. "We've gathered here in masses to press our seven-point demand, which includes participatory representation in parliament," Mannan said. "Elections shouldn't be held unless our demands are fulfilled." "We want a proportional representation system so that winners can't take all — we too deserve a voice," Mannan said. Tens of thousands of demonstrators began swarming the Suhrawardy Udyan memorial in capital Dhaka by midday, spilling out into the surrounding park. Some wore T-shirts bearing the party's logo, others sported headbands inscribed with its name, while many displayed metallic badges shaped like a scale — the party's electoral symbol. Md Shafiqul Islam, 58, travelled from Bogura — a stronghold of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, which is eyeing a landslide victory in the polls. "I felt it was my duty as a Muslim to attend. Jamaat-e-Islami promises to establish an Islamic country, and that's why I came," Shafiqul told AFP. "Jamaat is being blamed unfairly," said a 33-year-old private service holder, who spoke to AFP on condition of anonymity. "It did nothing except uphold the integrity of the nation."


Business Recorder
12 hours ago
- Politics
- Business Recorder
JI to stage sit-ins against ‘sugar mafia' today
LAHORE: Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Chief Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman has announced that the party will stage protest sit-ins across Islamabad and all divisional headquarters today (Sunday) against the exploitative 'sugar mafia' and hike in electricity, gas, and petrol prices. He also declared the launch of 'Give Rights to Balochistan' long march from Quetta on July 25 which will eventually head toward Islamabad. Addressing a press conference in Islamabad on Saturday, Rehman criticized the government's anti-people economic policies and the main opposition parties' passivity. 'When it comes to their personal gains, all factions unite and approve 300 percent raises in their own salaries.' He said the government deceived the people with false claims like a Rs. 7.41 per unit reduction in electricity rates which never materialized. The petrol prices, he added, continue to rise every 15 days despite declining global rates. 'The imposition of the slab system and continued hikes in electricity and gas prices are nothing short of fraud against the public. We demand the end of the slab system and the removal of unjust taxes from electricity bills,' he stated. Rehman lashed out at the sugar mafia, noting that 90 percent of the country's 89 sugar mills are controlled by the ruling parties and influential figures. 'Dealerships are handed to unregistered agents who are protected by every government. Sugar prices have surged from Rs. 140 to Rs. 200 per kg, imposing a heavy burden on the people,' he said. He revealed that gas wells were deliberately shut down on instructions from the Petroleum Division, resulting in a $1.5 billion loss to the national economy. He said the past governments entered RLNG agreements against national interests. The JI chief stressed the need for aggressive diplomatic efforts on Kashmir, referencing the July 19, 1947 resolution passed at the residence of Sardar Ibrahim Khan for accession to Pakistan. 'Today, Kashmiris worldwide are observing 'Youm-e-Ilhaq-e-Pakistan'. Pakistan must push forward a bold Kashmir policy. Any international mediation that undermines the wishes of the Kashmiri people is unacceptable,' he emphasized. Hafiz Rehman reiterated that India and the US are behind the unrest in Balochistan. He emphasised empowering local populations and announced that grand jirgas would soon be held in both Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan to address regional grievances. Regarding the upcoming 'Balochistan Rights March', he warned the government against obstructing it: 'If the government tries to stop this peaceful democratic movement, it will bear responsibility for the consequences.' The JI leader also raised concerns about lawlessness in Sindh's riverine areas, pointing to the unhindered flow of weapons, the abduction of minority traders, and the PPP's failure to maintain law and order. Calling on the youth to join Jamaat-e-Islami, he remarked that the ruling elite and opposition are united only in safeguarding their own interests, showing indifference to the struggles of ordinary citizens. Criticizing the recent decision on reserved seats, he termed it a murder of justice, stating that even the affected parties failed to raise their voices and instead became part of the deal. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025


India Today
13 hours ago
- Politics
- India Today
Bangladesh might witness more violence: Top Islamist leader at mega Dhaka rally
Bangladesh's Jamaat-e-Islami on Saturday held its first-ever solo grand rally in Dhaka, drawing tens of thousands of supporters from across the country amid a changed political landscape following the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's Awami League government last rally was chaired by the party's Ameer or chief, Shafiqur Rahman, who said that last year's movement, in which the party played a "crucial role", was aimed at eliminating 'fascism'.advertisementAt the rally in Dhaka's Suhrawardy Udyan, Rahman warned party supporters that Bangladesh might witness further violent struggle to keep it on the right track, and said, 'May Allah accept me as a martyr in the struggle that lies ahead to build a just country". In an oblique reference to the ousted regime, the party supremo said, 'From 28 October 2006, onward, all those responsible for various politically motivated 'massacres', including that of deaths of army officers in the then-paramilitary BDR border guard force and the events of July 2024, must be tried on the soil of Bangladesh."'Until visible trials begin, Bangladesh cannot move forward under the old system," said government had slapped a total ban on the Islamist party days ahead of her ouster on August 5, 2024, in a violent mass movement which was led by a student group and supported by several parties including the Jamaat-e-Islami. The interim government led by Professor Muhammad Yunus later lifted the the rally, Rahman said that the party would now spearhead a movement against corruption and extortion."We will not accept extortion, we will not engage in corruption, and we will not tolerate it," he voted to power, no lawmaker or minister associated with the party would accept government plots and tax-exempt vehicles or personally handle public funds, he of the major agendas of the party is to wage a campaign to introduce a proportional representation (PR) system in the national party leader Nayeb-e-Ameer Abdullah Mohammad Taher told the rally that elections under the PR system were the most appropriate method in the current political has distanced itself from its once crucial ally, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) led by former prime minister Khaleda Zia, which is opposed to the PR BNP leader was seen in the rally, even though they shared power during the 2001-2006 period when the BNP led a four-party alliance other Islamist parties and leaders of the student-led National Citizen Party (NCP) attended the 66, collapsed twice while addressing the rally and was later hospitalised, according to party reports quoting Jamaat leaders said this first solo rally was staged after nearly a month of preparations and drew over half a million attendees. The party has previously participated in joint rallies at Suhrawardy Udyan alongside the to political historians and analysts, the party, which was opposed to Bangladesh's 1971 independence from Pakistan, last tried to stage a grand rally in Paltan Maidan in the then East Pakistan ahead of the 1970 the rally broke at the midpoint as opponents, particularly activists of the now-disbanded Awami League, chased them away.'From then on or since Bangladesh's 1971 independence, Jamaat, even after the withdrawal of its ban in 1976 (imposed after the 1971 victory), could not stage a grand rally in the capital though it held numerous quickly arranged unscheduled smaller roadside public meetings,' political writer Shamsuddin Ahmed Peara said.- EndsMust Watch IN THIS STORY#Bangladesh


News18
14 hours ago
- Politics
- News18
Jamaat-e-Islami holds first-ever major rally in Bangladeshs capital
Dhaka, Jul 19 (PTI) Bangladesh's Jamaat-e-Islami on Saturday held its first-ever solo grand rally in Dhaka, drawing tens of thousands of supporters from across the country amid a changed political landscape following the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's Awami League government last year. The rally was chaired by the party's Ameer or chief Shafiqur Rahman, who said that last year's movement, in which the party played a 'crucial role", was aimed at eliminating 'fascism". At the rally in Dhaka's Suhrawardy Udyan, Rahman warned party supporters that Bangladesh might witness further violent struggle to keep it on the right track, and said, 'May Allah accept me as a martyr in the struggle that lies ahead to build a just country". In an oblique reference to the ousted regime, the party supremo said, 'From 28 October 2006, onward, all those responsible for different politically motivated 'massacres', including that of deaths of army officers in the then paramilitary BDR border guard force and the events of July 2024, must be tried on the soil of Bangladesh." 'Until visible trials begin, Bangladesh cannot move forward under the old system," said Rahman. Hasina's government had slapped a total ban on the Islamist party days ahead of her ouster on August 5, 2024, in a violent mass movement which was led by a student group and supported by several parties including the Jamaat-e-Islami. The interim government led by Professor Muhammad Yunus later lifted the ban. At the rally, Rahman said that the party would now spearhead a movement against corruption and extortion. 'We will not accept extortion, we will not engage in corruption, and we will not tolerate it," he said. If voted to power, no lawmaker or minister associated with the party would accept government plots and tax-exempt vehicles or personally handle public funds, he added. One of the major agendas of the party is to wage a campaign to introduce a proportional representation (PR) system in the national election. Senior party leader Nayeb-e-Ameer Abdullah Mohammad Taher told the rally that elections under the PR system were the most appropriate method in the current political context. Jamaat-e-Islami has distanced itself from its once crucial ally, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) led by former prime minister Khaleda Zia, which is opposed to the PR system. No BNP leader was seen in the rally, even though they shared power during the 2001-2006 period when the BNP led a four-party alliance government. Several other Islamist parties and leaders of the student-led National Citizen Party (NCP) attended the rally. Rahman, 66, collapsed twice while addressing the rally and was later hospitalised, according to party leaders. Media reports quoting Jamaat leaders said this first solo rally was staged after nearly a month of preparations and drew over half a million attendees. The party has previously participated in joint rallies at Suhrawardy Udyan alongside the BNP. According to political historians and analysts, the party, which was opposed to Bangladesh's 1971 independence from Pakistan, last tried to stage a grand rally in Paltan Maidan in the then East Pakistan ahead of the 1970 elections. But the rally broke at the midpoint as opponents, particularly activists of the now-disbanded Awami League, chased them away. 'From then on or since Bangladesh's 1971 independence, Jamaat, even after the withdrawal of its ban in 1976 (imposed after the 1971 victory), could not stage a grand rally in the capital though it held numerous quickly arranged unscheduled smaller roadside public meetings," political writer Shamsuddin Ahmed Peara said. PTI AR GRS GRS GRS view comments Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.