Shafiqur Rahman Calls for Lessons from Past Election Mistakes

Bangla Press Desk: Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer and Opposition Leader Dr Shafiqur Rahman has urged party leaders and activists to strengthen their preparations for upcoming elections by learning from past experiences and avoiding the same mistakes.

Reflecting on the party’s failure to protect the votes it received in the last national election, he said its previous mistakes and weaknesses had been identified. The party must now use those lessons to prepare for the upcoming city corporation elections.

He made the remarks as the chief guest at a Rukon Conference organised by Jamaat’s Dhaka North city unit at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in the capital on Friday (October 23).

Calling on party leaders and activists to work tirelessly ahead of the local government elections, Shafiqur Rahman said the party had identified its shortcomings and weaknesses during the national election. They must remain vigilant to ensure those mistakes are not repeated in the future.

Recounting the experience of the last national election, the Jamaat chief claimed that although people had voted for the party, their votes had been taken away. He said voters had told the party that they had cast their ballots for it, but the party had failed to protect those votes. Jamaat had reviewed the mistakes and weaknesses of that election, he said, expressing hope that applying the lessons learned would prevent a repeat.

Urging party activists to devote their full strength to election preparations, Shafiqur Rahman said, “We will not stop; we have no opportunity to stop.”

Calling for maximum efforts in support of the party’s candidates in city corporation elections, he said, “Those nominated as candidates for the city corporations have been blessed with great knowledge by Allah. We must stand alongside the people and build a wall against wrongdoers. No thief will be spared anymore. The people will decide who governs the country.”

Speaking about the need for social change, the Jamaat chief said the party would not compromise on its position. “We will no longer sit back and watch the spectacle. We will protest where appropriate and build resistance wherever we have the capacity,” he said.

Addressing the rukon members, Shafiqur Rahman said their ultimate goal was to enter paradise through Allah’s grace. He noted that people who earn their living day by day also make important contributions in the path of Allah. He further claimed that 70 percent of those who participated in the mass uprising of 2024 were people who lived on daily earnings.

Referring to the party’s past organisational weaknesses, the Jamaat chief said the organisational positions of its Dhaka North and South units had once been weak. Their current standing had been achieved through the sacrifices, dedication and hard work of party leaders and activists, he added.

“This country will be governed on the basis of the Quran, Insha’Allah,” he said, urging rukon members to work together to establish honest, competent and God-fearing leadership through elections.

Speaking as a special guest, Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Professor Mia Golam Parwar said rukoniyat—membership at this level of the organisation—was not a position or title but a standard. It would be a mistake to regard it as a source of power, he said.

He called on party leaders and activists to demonstrate their dedication and perseverance by playing a strong role in the upcoming mayoral elections. Such efforts, he said, would help the party achieve its desired results in mayoral and councillor polls.

Dhaka North Jamaat Ameer Mohammad Selim Uddin said the party needed to improve not only its membership numbers but also the quality, discipline and skills of its members. He expressed determination to develop trusted leadership and build a stronger organisation.

As part of the conference, Dr Shafiqur Rahman inaugurated the Nagorik Sheba (Citizen Services) app developed by Jamaat’s Dhaka North unit. According to the organisers, the app will offer more than 50 services for citizens.

The conference was held in two sessions. During the electoral session, from 9:45am to 11am, around 1,300 rukon members voted to elect the Ameer of Jamaat’s Dhaka North city unit for the 2027–2028 term.

The election was conducted by Mobarak Hossain, a member of Jamaat’s Central Executive Council. He was assisted by fellow council member Nurul Islam Bulbul and Central Working Committee member A. Sabur Fakir.

The conference was chaired by Dhaka North Jamaat Ameer Mohammad Selim Uddin and moderated by its Secretary, Dr Muhammad Rezaul Karim. Other speakers included Jamaat Assistant Secretary General Rafiqul Islam Khan and Central Executive Council members Mobarak Hossain and Nurul Islam Bulbul.

Bp/Sp