Bring Islam to state power: Charmonai Pir

Islami Andolan Bangladesh Ameer Mufti Syed Muhammad Rezaul Karim, widely known as Pir Saheb Charmonai, said that Islamic Sharia represents the "ideal system of governance" and urged political leaders to draw lessons from past uprisings by bringing Islam to state power.

He made the remarks while addressing a discussion titled 'July in the Spirit of Resistance to Tyranny', organised by Islami Yuva Andolan Bangladesh at the National Press Club on Sunday.

Recalling the July 2024 mass uprising, the Islami Andolan chief said his party had taken to the streets despite risking its political future.

"In those turbulent days of 2024, we stood on the streets despite putting our political existence at risk. On this day in 2024, I and the activists of Islami Yuva Andolan Bangladesh joined rallies and processions at Baitul Mukarram. The tyrannical forces opened indiscriminate fire on us," he said.

"I and all the top leaders of my party faced bullets that day. I said then that no matter how powerful it was, fascism would fall, Insha Allah. Fascism has fallen. But the objective for which the younger generation launched the movement has not been achieved," he added.

Claiming that previous popular movements had failed to deliver their intended outcomes, Rezaul Karim said, "After every uprising and struggle, including the July mass uprising, the country has fallen into the hands of forces for whom Islam, the country and humanity are not safe."

He further said, "Such disappointments have repeatedly become the nation's fate because of the recurring mistake of handing chickens over to foxes. We must learn from history and work to change our destiny by bringing Islam to power."

Addressing the programme as a special guest, Islami Andolan Bangladesh Secretary General Maulana Gazi Ataur Rahman alleged that on 19 July 2024 police opened fire on a youth rally and procession organised in the presence of Pir Saheb Charmonai in Dhaka, leaving more than a hundred youth leaders injured.

"In no other political party did we see the party chief leading from the front on the streets during the July uprising in the way Pir Saheb Charmonai did. 

But today many parties are competing to claim credit for the July uprising and reap political benefits from it, which is shameful," he said.

Ataur Rahman also criticised the post-uprising political process, alleging inconsistencies in the positions taken by the National Citizen Party (NCP) during reform negotiations and subsequent electoral politics.

"During the preparation of reform proposals at the Consensus Commission, many proposals could not be finalised because the NCP sided with the BNP on several issues. Later, during the election, the NCP again joined the anti-BNP camp. This shows that post-July politics has become contradictory," he said.

Referring to the July Charter, he said, "We have seen a BNP leader in parliament say that he signed the July Charter for the sake of the election. That is a betrayal of the nation."

"We want the July Charter to be implemented in letter and spirit and incorporated into the Constitution without excuses. Understand the pulse of the people and fulfil the promises made to them. Otherwise, we will return to the streets in the interests of the country, the nation and Islam," he added.