Leader of the Opposition and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman on Friday (16 October) called for a fair and peaceful political environment, urging political parties to resolve their differences through democratic dialogue rather than violence and intimidation.
Speaking to journalists after visiting an injured Jamaat leader at the National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedic Rehabilitation (NITOR), widely known as Pongu Hospital, in Dhaka, he alleged that individuals associated with the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its affiliated organisations were involved in attacks, extortion and harassment in different parts of the country.
“We want a healthy and fair political atmosphere in the country,” he said. “I call on everyone to practise healthy politics.”
Shafiqur Rahman visited the hospital on Friday evening to see Shamim Ahsan, a former assistant secretary of Jamaat’s Barguna district unit, who is undergoing treatment for serious injuries.
During the visit, he spoke with Ahsan’s family members and the attending physician about his condition and treatment. He also prayed for the injured leader’s recovery.
Several leaders from Jamaat’s Dhaka North City medical wing accompanied him.
Speaking about the reported incidents of political violence, the Jamaat chief claimed that attacks and intimidation involving ruling-party supporters had become a matter of concern.
“Earlier, another person’s leg was broken. There have been attacks on many people’s homes, looting of shops and extortion through intimidation. We have a list of these incidents,” he said.
He alleged that people associated with the BNP and its affiliated organisations were responsible for several such incidents, although the accusations have not been independently verified.
The opposition leader said he had contacted the ruling party’s chief whip immediately after learning about the latest incident and requested an impartial investigation.
“I hope the government will conduct a proper investigation and ensure justice,” he said, calling for appropriate legal action against anyone found responsible.
Shafiqur Rahman stressed that political competition should not lead to personal attacks or intimidation, regardless of differences in ideology.
“We do not want to see such incidents again. We do not want anyone to hurt anyone even with a petal of a flower,” he said.
“Politics should be in the language of politics, not the language of terror. Each of us has our own political ideology and programme.”
He also urged political parties to use parliament as the appropriate platform for raising grievances, presenting allegations and debating political disagreements.
The Jamaat chief said political differences were natural in a democratic system but should be addressed through discussion and established parliamentary procedures rather than confrontation.
His remarks came as he called on the government to investigate the alleged attacks and ensure accountability to prevent similar incidents.
The BNP and relevant authorities were not quoted responding to the allegations in the information available for this report.