Won’t utter words that hurt Jamaat: Akhtaruzzaman

Freedom fighter and former MP Major (retd) Akhtaruzzaman on Saturday said he has decided not to make any remarks that may hurt Jamaat-e-Islami, expressing gratitude to the party for giving him shelter during a difficult phase of his life.

“I have decided that I will not say words that hurt Jamaat-e-Islami. If necessary, I will cut my tongue. They gave me shelter. I will stay with them through good and bad,” he said.

He made the remarks while addressing an “Accountability Session” held at the Gachihata College ground in Katiadi of Kishoreganj on Saturday evening, December 20.

Akhtaruzzaman said Jamaat-e-Islami stood by him when he had nowhere else to go. “If they had not given me shelter, I might have been forced to live on the streets. At this age, I do not have the ability to build a new house or a new political platform. I do not even have basic necessities. No one would have given me shelter, but Jamaat did. I will remain grateful for this for the rest of my life,” he said.

Referring to his former party, the BNP, he said he had recently noticed increased attention from some of its leaders on social media. “Many BNP friends are now writing about me on Facebook. I am grateful for that. They now realise my importance. I did not leave the party on my own – you expelled me. For three years, you had no relationship with me, not even an invitation to a wedding. Today, you are criticising me, and I take it positively because it shows you are thinking about me,” he added.

The former MP said he envisioned a Bangladesh where people of all religions – Muslims, Hindus, Christians and Buddhists – live together peacefully. He also said he would not contest any future elections, adding, “If Jamaat comes to power, they will certainly give me a suitable position.”

Placing three demands before Jamaat-e-Islami, he said, “First, we want a Bangladesh free from corruption, extortion, terrorism and illegal occupation. We want to walk safely on the streets. Second, we want truth to prevail and peace to be established, not chaos. Islam should be established through peace. Third, we want social justice and dignity, where people respect one another.”

Demanding justice for the killing of Inqilab Mancha spokesperson Sharif Osman Hadi, Akhtaruzzaman said, “We have lost a saviour in Hadi. We strongly condemn and protest this murder. Those responsible must be brought to justice, even if they have to be dragged out of the grave. We not only want justice, we want to carry forward the unfinished work of Sharif Osman Hadi.”

The meeting was attended by Jamaat-e-Islami’s nominated candidate for the Kishoreganj-2 constituency Maulana Shafiqul Islam Morol, Katiadi upazila Amir Professor Mozammel Haque Joarder, Upazila Secretary Maulana Mahmudul Hasan, and other local leaders.

Earlier, on December 13, former BNP MP and freedom fighter Major (retd.) Akhtaruzzaman Ranjan formally joined Jamaat-e-Islami by presenting flowers to Jamaat Amir Dr Shafiqur Rahman.