Political Tensions Rise as Jamaat Criticizes Bail for AL Leaders

Bangla Press Desk:  Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has expressed deep concern and strongly condemned the granting of bail to leaders of the Awami League who were arrested in connection with the July massacre, as well as the reopening of offices of the party despite its political activities being banned.

In a statement issued on Friday, Jamaat Secretary General and former MP Mia Golam Parwar said that leaders and activists of the Awami League under the “fascist” government of Sheikh Hasina carried out indiscriminate killings of students and civilians during the July uprising.

He alleged that individuals directly involved in the killings are being released on bail one after another.

At the same time, he claimed that offices of the Awami League—described by Jamaat as anti-democratic and aligned with “aggressive hegemonic foreign forces”—are being reopened in different parts of the country under instructions from leaders of the ruling party, despite restrictions on their political activities.

According to Parwar, there are growing fears among citizens that these offices may once again be used to conduct activities detrimental to the country.

He termed such steps as ominous for democracy and expressed strong protest and condemnation over what he described as leniency toward the “genocidal fascist Awami League.”Referring to specific cases, he mentioned that Selina Hayat Ivy, former mayor of Narayanganj City Corporation, who he alleged was publicly active in suppressing the July student movement, has been granted six months’ interim bail.

On the same day, former Awami League MP Abdur Rahman Bodi was also granted bail, he said, adding that bail is being widely granted to what he described as “associates of the fallen fascist regime” across various districts.

Parwar demanded immediate assurance of justice for the July killings. Otherwise, he warned, those accused of extrajudicial killings might engage in further violence after being released on bail, for which the government would bear responsibility.

He further alleged that some individuals released on bail are already involved in looting and organised extortion in different areas and called for their immediate arrest and prosecution.

Citing a past incident, he claimed that the accused killer of Sharif Osman Hadi, who had been in prison, was released on bail and later shot Osman Hadi dead in broad daylight.

He demanded swift and fair trial in that case as well.

The Jamaat leader also criticised what he described as attempts to divert the course of the July events under the pretext of investigating alleged police killings, disregarding the “Protection Ordinance.”

He warned that those attempting to rehabilitate what he called fascist forces would not escape the consequences of such “self-destructive” actions.

Jamaat urged the government to cancel the bail of Abdur Rahman Bodi, Selina Hayat Ivy, and other Awami League leaders who have been released, and to bring them under speedy trial.

It also called for an investigation into the reopening of offices of the banned Awami League and necessary action in that regard.

The party warned that failing to meet these demands would result in building a strong mass resistance movement involving students and the public against such actions.Source: daily Sun

BP/SP