Jamaat-e-Islami to Apologize if Proven Wrong in 1971 Liberation War
Jamaat-e-Islami’s Amir, Dr. Shafiqur Rahman, stated that if it is proven beyond doubt that the party made any mistakes during the 1971 Liberation War, they will apologize to the nation.
He made this statement on Tuesday (November 19) in response to a question from the press regarding Jamaat’s role during the war, while speaking at a restaurant in East London.
Dr. Shafiqur Rahman said, "If we made any mistakes and it is proven beyond doubt, I will apologize to the nation. In the UK court ruling on Chowdhury Mainuddin’s case, the judges here referred to the judgment passed in our country’s War Crimes Tribunal as 'genocide of justice.' For 15 years, we were not allowed to sit in our office, speak, or organize rallies. We were unable to reach the nation through the media."
He further stated that due to ethnic disunity and corruption, the nation has not been able to progress as it should. He described corruption as a national shame. He pointed out that the UK, by keeping itself largely free from corruption, has been able to maintain a respected position globally, which Bangladesh has not achieved. He emphasized that a society will not improve unless those in power are honest.
Dr. Shafiqur Rahman also criticized the previous government's unchecked corruption, stating that the development that could have been achieved was not. He claimed that while development projects in Bangladesh show inflated costs, similar projects in other countries in the region were completed at a third of the cost.
He continued, "In the 24th movement, those who were killed should be recognized as national heroes. People from all walks of life participated in this uprising, including those living abroad who fought with us to the best of their abilities."
Jamaat’s Amir also praised the contributions of expatriates, stating, "The diaspora continues to support Bangladesh through remittances. In addition to monetary remittances, I urge expatriates to send 'intellectual remittances' to help the intellectual development of Bangladesh. This will play a huge role in building the Bangladesh of our dreams."
The event was attended by Barrister Abubakar Molla, the spokesperson for Jamaat-e-Islami Europe, and over fifty journalists from various Bangladeshi media outlets in the UK.
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