Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman on Sunday said his party would not allow the personal wealth of elected public representatives to increase and would publish annual income and expenditure statements to ensure accountability.
“We will not allow the wealth of elected representatives to grow. We will present income and expenditure accounts every year,” he said while addressing an election rally at the Meherpur Government High School ground on January 26.
The rally was organised in support of Jamaat-nominated and 10-party alliance-backed candidates ahead of the 13th National Parliament election.
Dr Shafiqur said his party would take a firm stance against corruption and extortion. He said extortionists would not be rehabilitated politically but would be provided with employment opportunities so they do not return to criminal activities.
Criticising previous governments, he said no administration could claim there was no corruption, looting of public wealth, bank scams, or failure in ensuring quality education for children.
“If the nation gives us responsibility on February 12, we will not touch people’s wealth. We will protect it as trustees of the people,” he said.
Referring to Meherpur, he said that despite being a small district where people know one another, it has also been affected by extortion. He said Jamaat would take responsibility for addressing the problem by creating jobs if it comes to power with a public mandate.
Speaking about the election, Dr Shafiqur urged voters to protect polling centres and resist any attempt at vote rigging. He also called on supporters to ensure active participation in the voting process.
He said justice has not been properly established in the country over the past five decades and warned that many young people have become involved in drugs and crime due to social and economic failures.
“If given responsibility, we will build a country people can be proud of,” he said.
Reiterating his party’s position, he said Jamaat would neither engage in corruption nor tolerate it. “We will not commit corruption, we will not support corruption, and we will not protect corrupt individuals,” he added.
On unemployment, he said Jamaat does not support unemployment allowances even if state funds are available, arguing that allowances increase dependency. “We will provide jobs, not allowances,” he said, adding that youth will be the driving force of national development.
Later, Dr Shafiqur formally handed over the party’s election symbol ‘Daripalla’ (scales) to the candidates contesting the two Meherpur constituencies. He sought cooperation from party leaders, activists, and the public in building what he described as a justice-based state.
The rally was chaired by Maulana Md Tajuddin Khan, Jamaat ameer of Meherpur district and candidate for Meherpur-1 constituency.
Among others, Md Nazmul Huda, candidate for Meherpur-2 and Gangni upazila Jamaat ameer; Islami Chhatra Shibir Central Secretary General Sibgatullah Sibga; Central Odhikar Parishad Secretary Amirul Islam; NCP central member Engineer Sohel Rana; and district Jamaat Secretary Md Iqbal Hossain also addressed the rally.
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