Jamaat protests Tuku’s remarks on ‘Inquilab Zindabad’
Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has expressed deep concern and protest over remarks made by the Minister of Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources, Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku, regarding the slogan ‘Inquilab Zindabad.’
The party’s Assistant Secretary General and Head of the Central Publicity and Media Department, Advocate Ahsanul Mahboob Zubair, conveyed the protest in a statement on Sunday (22 February).
In the statement, he said the minister’s comments on the slogan during a discussion on International Mother Language Day were not only inappropriate but also disregard history, linguistics, and public sentiment.
He noted that although the word “Inquilab” has Arabic origins, it has been used for decades in the subcontinent in the context of independence movements, struggles against autocracy, and the fight for people’s rights. “Language is not confined to narrow boundaries; it thrives, evolves, and develops through the usage of the people,” he added.
Zubair further pointed out that the Bengali language itself has evolved by borrowing words from numerous languages, including Arabic, Persian, Portuguese, and English. Therefore, labeling a word as “anti-Bengali” based on its origin contradicts fundamental principles of linguistics. He stressed that attempting to create divisions among the nation over language is unacceptable for any responsible individual.
He emphasised, “‘Inquilab Zindabad’ is not the exclusive slogan of any particular group; it is a symbol of protest against oppression, injustice, and autocracy. When students and the people rise against injustice, attempting to suppress their voices through linguistic arguments goes against the spirit of democracy.”
Earlier, on Saturday, Iqbal Hasan Mahmud said that the Bengali language has no connection with the words ‘Inquilab’ and ‘Azadi’.
“If the people of Bangladesh truly embrace Bangla as their mother tongue, slogans like ‘Inquilab Zindabad’ should not continue,” he said at a discussion held on the occasion of Martyrs’ Day and International Mother Language Day at the Sirajganj District Shilpakala Academy auditorium.