Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami central executive committee member and Dhaka South City secretary Dr. Shafiqul Islam Masud has described Jamaat-e-Islami and Islami Chhatra Shibir as the country's “greatest asset” and a “symbol of the people’s love.”He said the two organizations would serve as “symbols of a humane state” in the days ahead. Dr. Masud made the remarks on Tuesday (October 28) while speaking at a photo exhibition organized by Islami Chhatra Shibir at the National Press Club auditorium in Dhaka, marking the “Paltan Tragedy Day” of October 28, 2006.
“In 2024, we will raise the question before the nation — why were only Jamaat-e-Islami and Chhatra Shibir banned?” Dr. Masud said. “Because for Bangladesh, Jamaat and Shibir are valuable assets.”
He further stated,
“This is the will of Allah. Throughout history, in every era, enemies and imperialist powers have targeted Jamaat and Shibir. That itself proves that Jamaat and Shibir are the country’s greatest assets and symbols of the people’s love.”
Criticizing certain sections of civil society, Dr. Masud said that attacking or speaking against Jamaat has become “a tradition for some self-proclaimed intellectuals.”
“When some people want to attract attention or make themselves visible, they choose to talk about Jamaat and Shibir,” he remarked. “Many are targeting us now, but InshaAllah, in the 13th National Parliamentary Election of 2026, the people will also ‘target’ Jamaat and Shibir — by choosing them to lead the nation.”
The event was attended by Islami Chhatra Shibir President Zahidul Islam, Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) Vice President and Shibir Central Publication Secretary Sadiq Kayem, among many other leaders and activists.
Recalling the October 28, 2006 incident, speakers alleged that during a rally organized by the then four-party alliance, Awami League activists carried out a premeditated attack at Paltan, beating six people to death in broad daylight with sticks and poles.
They noted that 21 years have passed since that tragic day. Victims’ families had filed cases after the incident, but the cases were later withdrawn during the tenure of the Grand Alliance government, the speakers claimed.