Struggle to continue until people's rights restored: Jamaat

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer and Opposition Leader Dr Shafiqur Rahman on Tuesday vowed to continue the party’s struggle for people’s rights, including the legitimate rights of ordinary passengers and expatriate Bangladeshis, until those rights are restored.
He made the remarks at a function at his official residence on Mintoo Road in Dhaka to welcome Jamaat leader and freedom fighter Major (retd) Akhtaruzzaman following his release after 34 days in custody.
“Our struggle to establish the rights of the people, including the legitimate rights of ordinary passengers and expatriates, will continue. The struggle will persist until the rights of the people are returned to their own hands,” he said.
Shafiqur said Akhtaruzzaman had committed no wrongdoing but had ended up in prison for protesting against long-standing irregularities, mismanagement and harassment of passengers at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.
The Jamaat Ameer said Akhtaruzzaman had raised several problems faced by passengers, including long waits to collect their luggage, a shortage of trolleys, thefts from luggage and other instances of mismanagement at the airport.
Shafiqur said that although Akhtaruzzaman’s protest was stern, he had not physically assaulted anyone. Even so, a case was filed against him on allegations of obstructing official duties and assaulting a government official.
He described the allegations as entirely false, adding that Akhtaruzzaman had stood firm against injustice instead of surrendering.
Shafiqur also claimed that the airport authorities had taken several visible initiatives to address the irregularities following Akhtaruzzaman’s protest.
The Jamaat chief accused the government of running propaganda against the opposition, saying those in power were not sincere in addressing their own failures and shortcomings but were instead engaged in a blame game.
He said the government should take steps to ease people’s suffering rather than attempt to tarnish the opposition’s image. If the government succeeded in resolving people’s problems, they would naturally support it, he added.
“We, the countrymen, will never accept any attempt by the government to gauge our voices,” the Jamaat chief warned.