Those in power are taking the country back towards fascism, says Jamaat leader ATM Masum in Lakshmipur
Those who are in power are once again taking the country towards fascism, Jamaat-e-Islami Assistant Secretary General Maulana ATM Masum has said. He also remarked that the country's current condition is not good, and said people may have to take to the streets again if needed.
He made the remarks on Saturday (October 24) afternoon while speaking as the chief guest at a gathering of office-bearers of the Lakshmipur district trade union of the Sramik Kalyan Federation. Criticism of the current political situation formed the main part of his speech at the workers' leaders' gathering.
ATM Masum said the country's condition is not very good. In the July movement, workers, students and toiling people came out on the streets and gave their blood and lives to bid farewell to 15 years of the most heinous autocracy — but it now seems those in power are once again taking the country towards that kind of fascism.
He said that in this situation, people will have to take to the streets again if necessary and raise their voice against injustice once more. He called on the leaders to focus on strengthening the force of the movement.
The Jamaat leader said the strength must be built so that in the coming days no autocrat can raise their head again in Bangladesh. Bangladesh should be built towards the very goal for which the movement was waged and lives were given, he added.
In another part of his speech, ATM Masum expressed concern over the impact of technology. He said today's technology is ruining children. Obscenity and shamelessness are spreading from device to device through platforms such as YouTube, Facebook and Twitter.
He added that boys no longer go to cinema halls, because everyone now carries a cinema in their pocket. If children cannot be kept away from this, they will become characterless because of it too, he warned, calling on everyone to pay attention to the matter.
The gathering was chaired by Lakshmipur district Sramik Kalyan Federation president Momin Ullah Patwari. Leaders of the organisation at various levels attended the gathering of district-level trade union office-bearers.
Special guests at the gathering included district Jamaat ameer SUM Ruhul Amin Bhuiya and secretary AR Hafiz Ullah. District Sramik Kalyan Federation secretary Mominul Haque was also present.
Also present were the organisation's Lakshmipur town president Advocate Manjurul Alam Miron, Sadar upazila president Amir Hossain and Chandraganj upazila president Kawsar Ahmed, among others. The leaders addressed the gathering in turn.
Such a sharp comment from Jamaat about the role of those in power comes in the new political reality formed after the July movement. His warning of returning to the streets, invoking the lives given in that movement, may spark fresh discussion in political circles.
It now remains to be seen what programmes Jamaat and the Sramik Kalyan Federation adopt organisationally after ATM Masum's warning. At the gathering he asked the leaders to focus on strengthening the movement — the practical shape of that instruction will become clear in the coming days.
