Jamaat holds views-exchange meeting with retired army officers

Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Shafiqur Rahman yesterday said there is no alternative to sincerely respecting the army, as it has helped the people of the country hold their heads high.

He made the remarks at a views-exchange meeting with retired armed forces members at the capital’s Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre yesterday evening.

Jamaat organised the event titled “In Recognition of Service and Sacrifice: A Salute to Our Distinguished Veterans” in honour of the former armed forces members.

Speaking as the chief guest, Shafiqur said, “There are some mismatches in our culture. For some reasons, a lack of confidence is sometimes visible. For example, our defence ministry remains in the hands of the state’s chief executive. He already has lots of responsibilities, he has to supervise all the ministries and acts as their guardian. If such-and-such a ministry remains under him, how will he individually ensure its due rights?

“Instead, what is the problem if we bring in potential people from among those who are experienced and who have served the nation by taking an oath to sacrifice their lives?”

The Jamaat leader added that there must be a space for accountability for the chief adviser, the prime minister, and the president as well. “This is a matter of mutual checks and balances, and that must remain in place.” 

“We will manage all the ministries within the country. But it is these forces that will protect the country’s borders. If the borders remain intact, the internal functions will remain in order. If the borders are not secure, internal functions will fall into disarray.” 

According to him, those who run the state machinery and those entrusted with the responsibility of safeguarding the country must have a clear and to-the-point understanding. “Even a small gap here could harm the country.” 

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At the meeting, the Jamaat chief said, “Even today, I sat with the chief of the European Union observation team. I told him that we want to see this election as an iconic one -- just as our chief adviser and the Election Commission have said.

“And if we truly want to see it that way, then we must secure every polling booth. For that, we need to set up CCTV cameras in every booth. We have been making this demand from the very beginning. But we see the government and the Election Commission remain reluctant.”

The people will vote for whom they like. But it is the responsibility of the government and the EC to ensure an environment in which people can cast their votes. So far, that has not happened. 

Shafiqur said, “We do not want to see any ‘understanding-based’ election. There will be no understanding with any authority. The understanding will be directly between political parties and the voters -- no one else.”

Maj Gen (retd) Mahbub-ul-Alam and retired army officer Hasinur Rahman also spoke at the programme. Jamaat’s Dhaka-16 candidate Abdul Baten delivered the welcome address.

Col (retd) Md Zakaria Hossain conducted the event. Among others, Abdul Halim, assistant secretary general of Jamaat; Ehsanul Mahbub Zubayer head of the party’s publicity and media department, and central executive council member Mobarak Hossain were present.

Around 350 to 400 former armed forces members attended the event.