Jamaat ameer skipped July Memorial inauguration as invitation failed to give him due respect: Porwar

Highlights:

• Jamaat chief skipped July Memorial inauguration over invitation protocol
• Invitation omitted Shafiqur Rahman’s name, Porwar said
• Porwar rejected PM’s claim Jamaat rejects July Uprising
• He accused BNP of ignoring the referendum verdict
• Porwar accused BNP of following Awami League’s fascist path
• He alleged BNP obstructed rallies and cancelled religious events

Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer and Opposition Leader Shafiqur Rahman skipped the inauguration of the July Uprising Memorial at Osmani Udyan in the capital yesterday (19 October) because the invitation card failed to accord him due respect, the party’s Secretary General Mia Golam Porwar has said.

Speaking at an emergency press conference at Jamaat’s central office today (20 October), he said the invitation card did not mention Shafiqur’s name, although the names of state ministers were included.

Under the Warrant of Precedence, the opposition leader holds the rank of a full minister, Porwar said.

Rejecting the prime minister’s remarks on the Jamaat chief’s absence, Porwar said, “We reject such allegations. We condemn the untrue and ridiculous information presented by the prime minister.”

The July Memorial was inaugurated at the capital’s Osmani Udyan yesterday, with family members of those killed during the 2024 July Uprising in attendance.

Speaking about Shafiqur’s absence from the event, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman said, “The opposition does not embrace the July Uprising. That is why the opposition leader did not attend the inauguration of the July Memorial despite receiving an invitation.”

At today’s press conference, Porwar also accused the government of lacking coordination and trying to shift blame during its seven months in office.

He called the BNP’s allegation that Jamaat-e-Islami does not embrace the 2024 July Uprising ridiculous, saying, “Jamaat is the party that embraces July.”

He accused the ruling party of failing to implement the referendum verdict, saying this showed that it did not embrace the 2024 July Uprising.

Porwar also accused the ruling party of following the path of fascism, saying people in Bangladesh had learned what fascism meant from the Awami League, but BNP’s acting Secretary General Rizvi had forgotten the lessons within seven months.

“To recognise fascism, one must return to the people,” he said, listing extortion, looting, appointing party loyalists to government posts and disregarding the people’s verdict as signs of fascism.

He also accused the government of disregarding the referendum verdict by relying on its parliamentary majority. Criticising a statement by Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni, Porwar described it as an example of the path to fascism.

Porwar further accused the ruling party of following the Awami League’s path, alleging that it is obstructing meetings and rallies and has withdrawn permission for Kushtia-3 lawmaker Amir Hamza to hold a waz mahfil, or religious gathering.

He also said permission for the event had been cancelled because the authorities could not stop a member of parliament elected by a large majority from holding it.

He urged the ruling party’s muftis to organise tafsir mahfils, or Quranic interpretation gatherings, saying the Awami League had taken similar actions.

Referring to the cancellation of a conference in Rajshahi, Parwar urged the ruling party to abandon what he called “the path of fascism,” accusing it of following the Awami League’s “path of fascism.”