Jamaat’s popularity is increasing a lot among the young generation in Bangladesh. However, a few years ago, many people did not want to identify themselves as Jamaat workers. The political reality is that there is polarization in politics now, especially BNP and Jamaat – both parties are now major parties. Several organizations have conducted surveys on the elections in Bangladesh. The surveys have shown that Jamaat can win the next elections. Not only that, Jamaat can also form the government.
The surveys have shown that public opinion is gradually increasing in favor of Jamaat. In the survey, Jamaat is also close to the public opinion of BNP. Sometimes very close, sometimes two or one point more or less, sometimes five points more or less.
Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir has 142 units in the whole of Bangladesh. All these units have many sub-branches. Eighty percent of the committees formed every year in all branches and sub-branches are new faces – Md. Mosharraf Hossain, Assistant Secretary, Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir Central Assistant Office Secretary.
The leaders and workers of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami are trying to attract the youth in various ways. This is not just for show or something artificial. Jamaat is really thinking about them. We want to see Bangladesh as a new Bangladesh with them, said Bazlul Rashid Mukul, Ameer of Pirgachha Upazila of Rangpur, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami.
According to the announcement of the Chief Advisor to the Government of Bangladesh, Dr. Muhammad Yunus, the 13th National Parliament election will be held on February 12 of this year. At the same time, a referendum will be held to implement the July Charter and provide its legal basis. Several parties, including BNP and Jamaat, have clearly called for a yes vote. Meanwhile, several BNP workers have been seen campaigning for a no vote at the field level.
Regarding the yes vote, the central leader of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, Mia Golam Parwar, said that there is no big difference between the political parties on the July Charter issue. A national consensus has been formed. Mia Golam Parwar said: Many of us consider Islam to be just a religion. But Islam is not only a religion but a complete and balanced code of life. Islam is a complete, complete code of life. Where society, state, country, economy, judiciary, education, sociality, family policy, war policy, foreign policy are all there.
You don’t have to go to Karl Marx for economics, you don’t have to go to the West for political science. The word religion in the Quran has been interpreted as a code of life. Hinduism is a religion, Christianity is a religion, Buddhism is a religion—in the conventional sense, Islam is not just a religion. Islam has a religious aspect, its relationship with the Creator; prostrating, praying, fasting, worshipping—in the conventional sense, this is a religious aspect. But it also has a political aspect. The Prophet of Allah ruled the state. On the one hand, he was a religious leader, and on the other hand, he was also the president of the country. He was also a soldier and a judge. In this way, life and the state—how everything should run—is the code that Allah has given in the Quran. This is what we call Islam. It is not just us, it is Islamic scholars from all over the world who read and understand the Quran; they consider it as a code of life. Not only religion, just saying religion does not fully explain Islam.
The youth will be the power to run our state in the future. We have promised that when we get the responsibility, the young boys and girls from universities, schools, colleges, and madrasas will come to learn and the state will arrange jobs for everyone based on their qualifications. This was said by former Bangladesh Islami leader Motaleb Hossain.
Former Shibir leader Bazlul Rashid Mukul said, Shibir’s character and ideals, their honesty and morality – everything has been seen by this nation and the student community. Because, Shibir was not absent from the campuses. Shibir was active. Every year, new leadership of Shibir comes. As a result, a large number of Shibir leaders join Jamaat workers every year.
Mia Golam Parwar: The youth will be the power to run our state in the future. We have promised that when we get the responsibility, the young boys and girls from universities, schools, colleges, and madrasas will come to learn and the state will arrange jobs for everyone based on their qualifications.
Former Shibir leader Motaleb Hossain said,
The education system will be made moral and production-oriented and technical education will be combined in such a way that it will not be possible for anyone to be unemployed after graduating. They will become doctors, engineers, BCS qualified, run the state, join the army, go to the judiciary. They will grow up in every place but will be honest. They will be moral, not characterless. They will not be unemployed. Look, poverty and unemployment destroy people. Why are the young people going towards violence instead of drug addiction and morality? Because of their unemployment. Their mother does not wear saris, there is no food in the house, no rice. Then morality is not a question for them. The question is, I have to feed my mother. I have to buy clothes for my child. This poverty is leading them towards terrorism.
Former Shibir leader Bazlul Rashid Mukul said, “We think that support for Jamaat-Shibir is increasing among the young generation.” In the 54 years of Bangladesh, there is no example of how many DUCSUs have been established, where the leaders of DUCSU have sought the welfare of the students. But the students of Shibir have already done many welfare works since they became representatives. They have learned this from Islam.
Md. Mafidul Islam Sarkar, journalist. WhatApps:+8801735-632338